Complex Simplicity
by BloodyWar2411
Summary: Alternate Universe. Cloud wakes up in his bunker twenty-four years into the past. Why? It had been over, he was sure of it. And he had tried so hard... Mutual: Sephiroth/Cloud. Zack/Aeris. Tseng/Vincent. One-sided: Reno/Cloud. Tifa/Zack. Scarlet/Vincent.
1. Chapter One

_**Author's Note: **__Hello and thank you for taking the time to read "Complex Simplicity" and take note of a few changes. Cloud was thirteen-fourteen when he joined the military. I can't justify putting what I consider a child in a compromising sexual position. Not even in my imagination. Therefore the age limit to join ShinRa's military shall be bumped up to sixteen. I have no problems, however, with any other kind of abuse. His hero-complex with the General no longer exists. He joined for reasons that I created with a background that I tweaked to my liking and will be explained in the future. So he will NOT jump right into bed with the general. They should be a couple by chapter twelve though. I'm sorry if my prediction is off._

_**Warnings:**__ Yaoi. Language. Death. With the exception of this chapter, all warnings will pertain only to said chapter._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Obviously._

_************_

Cloud stared at his sleeping roommates with a blank expression. He had been out; defeated Sephiroth. It had been over. A shudder threatened to rack his body. Gaia, he couldn't believe this was actually happening. No, he _could_ believe this was happening. Perhaps that was his problem. Never had things been particularly "normal" for Cloud. Sure, he hadn't been experimented on while in the womb like Sephiroth, but he had been forced through his fair share of trials. Zack's death flashed through the blonde's mind and he mentally flinched. To this day Cloud could smell the fresh blood of that battlefield. It had been a distinctly cruel scent, if smells could have emotions that is. Burnt mako had drifted through the air and infected the senses, ordering them into a terrible overdrive; forcing Cloud to realize that his friend was dead, that the burning smell was coming from his violet eyed hero. Some idiot pawn Hojo had manipulated into going after them had shot a flare right for Zack's body. Maybe, he supposed, the man was just being a good soldier and following orders. What did it matter when his closest companion was no longer of the living? Another, more violent shudder raced through his body, snapping him out of his morbid musings, and for what? To leave him alone in possibly the worst predicament yet, stuck in the barracks… Cloud unconsciously checked the calendar beside his small bunk for the date. It was November nineteenth, 3016, exactly twenty-four years into the past. Fuck, this was real.

His mentality tried to give way to panic but the blonde's analytical mind bombarded him with questions, allowing him no time for such luxuries. Only one stuck out. What did all of this mean? Was this just some sort of twisted board game and he landed on the wrong square, sending him right back to start? Had he done something that the planet hadn't agreed with; forced it to assert its dominance over his by forcing him to begin anew? Or perhaps this was all a sick joke that an unknown entity had made up for amusement. Would he ever know? Did he even want to?

As bright rays of sun began to creep through the open widow above him Cloud realized that now wasn't the time for such questions. As much as he hated to sit and wait, did he really have another choice? After all, a seventeen year old military grunt hardly had a say in when they could think and when they couldn't. With a mental note to review what he had been doing just before waking up…_here_, Cloud began his morning routine. Once his bunker was as immaculate as his bed in the future, he slipped his clothes on; fitting, yet not overly so. The uncomfortable materials of the forest green uniform slipped over his well developed body without a hitch, sufficiently hiding the muscles beneath. As vertically challenged as Cloud was, standing at a mere 5'7, he was not weak. His grades, for both the physical and mental classes, were the bare minimum to be passing because he had wanted them to be. No one knew that he could have made SOLDIER the first time if he had wanted to. No one needed to. Even with the mindset of a forty-three year old Cloud didn't regret flunking himself. If he had passed, had done his best originally, Zack wouldn't have taken pity and talked to him. Or maybe he would have. Hell if he knew. Realizing that he had allowed his mind to wander, Cloud chastised himself on the way to breakfast. It was only thanks to his impeccable memory that the blonde cadet managed to remember his way through the maze of a building, making it to the cafeteria without a problem.

Breakfast was unbelievable. Cloud's body ached for food, no matter that even at such a young age he would only eat a small bowl of cereal at the most, it still craved the calories. This wouldn't have been a problem when he was seventeen if it weren't for the fact that his mind told him that food wasn't welcome so early. And in a few years, it wouldn't be. Which brought the blonde savior to his current dilemma: he was hungry, but the thought of eating made him sick. A quick fact popped up in his head. Breakfast was a necessity for the maturing body. With that knowledge in the forefront of his mind he pushed away any complaints his subconscious might have had and forced down his now soggy cereal.

Settling into his seat at the back of the class, Materia Control with Sergeant Dram, Cloud thought of the date. If his memory served him well than he was approximately two and a half months from the SOLDIER exams. Last time he had just decided to pass on a spur of the moment, giving his instructors no preparation for his skills and forcing them to think that he had taken performance enhancing drugs of some sort. It had been stupid of him. He would have to gradually raise his grades this time, make things less suspicious; after all, he actually had something to hide this time around.

************

Zackary Fair stared at the wall of his office, thinking of the blonde he had seen last week. The kid had looked like a depressed chocobo and it made Zack want to hug him. It was just the posture in the kid, like someone had ripped out a part of his soul and eaten it for dinner. Smiling lips turned downward, that sounded fairly painful. On an off note, he wondered if the cadet liked broccoli. Chocobos certainly did. Who knew, maybe he was a mutated chocobo that missed his mother, Zack had been depressed for weeks after his mother had died… A grin stretched across the Lutinant General's face as he came up with a plan. All he would need was a few pieces of broccoli and a large basket. Jumping up, he animatedly made his way to the door, hand gripping the handle before a bored, "Aren't you forgetting something, Zackary?" halted him in his tracks. Damn, he had forgotten about Sephiroth sitting at the other end of the room, shining Masamune. Why had the General chosen such an odd place to polish his six foot sword, one might ask? To make sure his Second-in-Command finished his paperwork, of course.

With a dramatic sigh, Zack loosened his grip on the shiny, golden doorknob and turned around, his best 'This is the last time, I promise' look on his face he prepared his explanation.

"No." A deep, stern voice denied him his new pet before he could so much as open his mouth. Violet eyes turned pleadingly to the handsome male on the couch of his office. Long silver hair fell silkily around perfectly postured shoulders, mostly disappearing behind the couch. The 6'4 man seemed to fill the room with his presence. His leather coat draped over the back of the couch, allowing the thin white shirt he wore to show off his physique. A faint air of menace flowed from his very being, just as alluring as it was horrifying warding off any subordination. Well, almost any insubordination.

"But, Seph, I haven't even told you my plan yet!" Zack's tone was whiny and he knew it. But it really was unfair, he was going to catch himself a mutated chocobo disguised as a cadet and his best friend was getting in the way. Seriously, how often do you come across something as awesome as that? Never, that's when. "I'm going to gather up a whole bunch of broccoli and-" Seeing the general's almost bored look, he quickly explained. "For the chocobo! They love the stuff!"

"There are no chocobos in Midgar, Zackary. " Sephiroth sounded like he was explaining why the sky was blue to a small child. Sephiroth didn't like children. And though he hadn't so much as glanced up from his sword, Zack knew for a fact that the swordsman was acutely aware of every breath he made.

"He's lost." There. Not even Sephiroth could let a poor little chocobo wander lost and alone in Midgar.

"Let someone else find him." Or maybe he could…

"C'mon, Seph! It'll take twenty minutes I promise!" Zack was getting desperate. Paperwork was evil and the kids in the blonde's, Zack made a mental note to learn his new chocobo's name, didn't look too friendly. What if they hurt him? He had looked so fragile…

Ever so slowly, Sephiroth looked up from his sword. "No."

"But-"

"_No._" The word had an air of finality about it and Zack knew that he had lost this round, his blonde mutation would have to wait. A final thought occurred to him.

"Can I at least order the broccoli?" Silence was heavy in the room, making Zack even more aware of the little sounds in the room: The slow, repetitive ticking of his clock, the soft swish of cloth against steel, and flesh rubbing against flesh as he wrung his hands together. It was a nervous habit from his childhood and he just couldn't help it. Sephiroth wasn't very happy with him for ditching paperwork for the past month and he was walking on thin ice.

A few more moments slid by before, "Carrots."

Zack blinked. He was shocked out of his musings by that simple word and, unable to piece together what Sephiroth meant, eloquently responded, "Huh?"

"Chocobos don't eat broccoli, they eat carrots." Came the simple, toneless response. And that's when Zack realized something. He didn't know anything about taking care of chocobos. His long, wild black hair stood on end but Sephiroth said no more. He really wished the older male would show a little more emotion, the man was so hard to read sometimes. What the general needed was more friends…A slow smile made its way across Zack's face. What could possibly be a better friend than a chocobo? As the smile became a grin, Sephiroth was mentally appointed as his chocobo's baby sitter. Since the man obviously knew how to take care of them, at least, more than Zack did, he should be perfect for the job. This would be great! With that thought, he practically skipped off to do paperwork.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Author's Note: **__Hello! I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and favorite my story. It's quite a confidence boost. Criticism is encouraged, I love hearing what you guys think. If anyone could tell me how to correct my chapters, that would be terrific. _

Cloud stared at Sergeant Dram. Sergeant Dram stared back. "Is there something you'd like to say, _Cadet Strife_?" The man's voice was deep and gravelly, grating against the ear drums of anyone within reach. Why did people cower from the Sergeant? He wasn't a particularly buff, tall, or even scary man, but he somehow struck fear into every cadet he passed. It was quite a mystery. Sapphire blue eyes roamed over the increasingly angry teacher.

Pathetic was the main word that came to mind as Cloud took in the physique of his teacher. A stomach was beginning to form on the middle aged man, straining the buttons on his regulation army uniform, not enough, however, to distract from the small crop of brown hair sitting on his head. It was a receding hairline and Cloud faintly wondered if the hair was trying to get away from his irritating voice. If that was the case than he took pity on the thick, bushy eyebrows that threatened to cover his poor excuse for eyes. Perhaps they were trying to fall off? They would have to get past the thick glasses first, and then there was the ever present risk of simply falling into the muddy brown eyes when escaping. He might even pick them up and glue them back on if they managed their escape. What a horrendous fate. Now _that_ was a mission fit for a SOLDIER…A soft smirk appeared on his face at that thought. His mind had always had a habit of wandering off during this class, and since he couldn't risk thinking about the important matters at hand, things just became…ridiculous.

"Do you find something _funny_ about disrespecting _me_ in _my _classroom, _Cadet_?!" His voice had risen two octaves, at the least. And was it truly necessary to put emphasis on nearly every other word? What had Cloud done anyways? The blonde hadn't so much as opened his mouth since he had entered the classroom…oh. Damn, the question had been directed at him, hadn't it? Yes, he had been asked what the main use of a Cure Materia was and had yet to answer, but did that really count as disrespect? A glance at the ever-narrowing eyes of Sergeant Dram gave him his answer. Yes, it definitely counted. Perhaps he should talk now; the Sergeant certainly wasn't getting any younger.

"No, I do not find anything funny, Sir." Cloud's voice was a sharp contrast to Sergeant Dram's. Soft and melodically sweet words flowed from the blonde's mouth. Some student's stared. This was probably the first time that they noticed him, which was strange in its own right. Cadet Strife was a hard person to miss for many reasons. A large reason is the gravity defying locks that stuck up from his head at every angle, imitating the sun with its color. Another thing was his features. Large, captivating blue eyes dominated his face, a small mouth and nose only complimenting them. Add in the fact that he was dwarfed by nearly everyone and he was quite a spectacle. These weren't always good things. No, his small status and pretty features made him a night time fantasy for many sexually frustrated men. Not that Cloud realized this, for as smart as he was, he was completely oblivious to the people that undressed him with their eyes daily. It was quite a shock that he hadn't been raped yet. Well, it was shocking that it hadn't been attempted yet. To force Cloud into something he didn't want would be a feat for anyone.

"Damn right, you don't! I'm in charge here and you're just a lowly grunt! No, you're a lowly grunt who failed the SOLDIER exams, completely flunked them! Why are you even here?!" Cloud's expression gave nothing away. Then again, there was nothing to give away. Dram had always had it out for the young cadet, making this yelling spree an expected event, which didn't work out in favor for either of them. The Sergeant's overly large nose scrunched up with impatience, compelling Cloud to realize that this was not a rhetorical question. What was considered an acceptable answer though? He couldn't say that he was here because it was his first class; though it was the truth Cloud doubted that Sergeant Dram would find it anything other than insubordination. He could say that he wanted a second chance; that he was going to make it this time. No, that would show weakness and weakness was intolerable. He went with the most neutral answer possible.

"I just am, Sir." His blank, colorless response seemed to have thrown Dram over the edge.

"Are you _mocking _me, Strife?!"

It seemed he had given the wrong answer. "I am not, Sir." Cloud made sure his tone was completely neutral.

"Just answer the damned question before I throw you out!" Gaia, the man sounded livid. Cloud pressed his lips together ever so slightly. Which question was he supposed to answer? The man had asked quite a few, after all. With a psychological shrug, Cloud went with the first one.

"A Cure Materia is used for healing injuries. The higher level Cure Materia, the more severe injuries it can heal. These are mainly used by Medical Staff and SOLDIERS." His tone had been sterile and left no room for argument, yet at the same time it asserted no authority and sounded almost as if he had been reading it from a text book. It didn't look as if Sergeant Dram had anything to say to that. The moment those words flew through Cloud's mind, his favorite Sergeant opened his mouth to speak. Talk about good timing.

"You're off the hook _this_ time, Strife. Just remember, I'm watching you." His fingers made the motion from his eyes to Cloud's form as if to confirm who the eyes were watching. The action made Cloud scoff internally while his physical form remained impartial.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir." The Sergeant's thin lips pursed at Cloud's response before turning swiftly to another unsuspecting cadet. This was going to be a long day, Cloud could tell.

************

Zack stared at the large crate of carrots on his desk with unsuppressed glee. He was going to get a chocobo and Sephiroth was going to help him do it! With the subtlety of a meteor, he looked at Sephiroth. The man was going to be happier that a fruit-picker in Gongaga when he found out that he was going to get to help take care of…right, he need a name for his chocobo. Turning in the swivel chair which he had stolen from Sephiroth's desk, he booted up the computer. This was, beyond doubt, the most comfortable chair in the world. Sure, it had taken a while to get it to his office, but it had been worth it. And in his defense, it had only taken so long because Sephiroth had been sitting in his chair at the time. With a grin, Zack looked through the pictures until finding a head of unruly blonde hair. His chocobo was so cute… A quick look at his record told Zack that the chocobo mutation was definitely depressed. How could he not be with grades like that? He immediately went for two things. First, Zack found his name, which only confirmed his suspicions that the blonde was a mutated chocobo. Who in their right minds would name their kid Cloud? It was the perfect name, on the other hand, for a pet. The next thing he looked at were the thoughts on him from his instructors. No information was good.

Instantly, Zack made a pact with himself to help little Cloudy get into SOLDIER. Then he could go on missions with Zack and have all the carrots he could eat! It was a fool-proof plan. This brilliant train of thought was abruptly stopped as the Lieutenant General's stomach growled loudly. He couldn't very well catch a chocobo on an empty stomach now could he? Of course he couldn't. Decision made, he left for lunch. Well, he tried to.

"Zackary." Gaia be damned! How many times would he reach this doorknob without turning it? Zack turned around fast enough to give someone whiplash.

"But Seph, it's lunch time!" This was a very adequate excuse for Zack, who was hungry constantly. His commanding officer seemed to have left his heart at home that day as he showed no signs of caring. "If I don't go to lunch than I'll starve to death and you'll feel horrible about it and I'll be up in the Lifestream making fun of you because it'll be your fault that I'm dead!" All of this was said in one breath. Sephiroth didn't so much as bat an eyelash. Zack tried a different approach.

"You'll be left with all of my paperwork." The only response came from his stomach. "You'll get some incompetent fool with a bad case of hero-worship as your second in command." It didn't look like Sephiroth cared. Damn it, he had hoped it wouldn't come to this. With only slight hesitation, Zack said, "I'll be in the office by eight tomorrow."

That seemed to have gotten Sephiroth's attention as he paused his polishing. While Zack hated to break his strict policy of not getting to work until eleven, he was seriously hungry. Besides, he never said that he would come back after lunch. All he had to do is grab the carrots before leaving and come back tomorrow. It was pure brilliance that allowed him to make such a fail-safe plan. The swish of cloth on flesh alerted Zack to Sephiroth putting his long leather jacket on.

"…What are you doing?" No. Sephy was supposed to stay here while Zack escaped.

"Going to lunch." Came the obvious reply, along with the barest raise of silver eyebrows.

"…Why?" Zack was dumbfounded. The General never ate lunch with him, no matter how much he begged. Sephiroth merely slid Masamune into the sheathe on his back and ignored Zack. That was answer enough. Sephiroth had figured out his plan and was coming along to foil it. Damn. With a pout, Zack followed Sephiroth out the door. This was so unfair.

************

It moved. Cloud was certain that his burger had moved. A small frown made its way to his face as he realized that it didn't matter. His body needed nutrients. Barely containing his disdain, Cloud began to eat, allowing his mind to wander onto more important matters. What had he been doing just before waking up as a teenager? Ah, yes. Cloud had been driving Fenrir to Aeris's church to pay his respects. He made a mental note to sneak under the Plate and see her soon. Perhaps she could explain things. Either way he had parked Fenrir and went to lie in the flowers. Then what? Strangely enough, Cloud couldn't remember. Had he fallen asleep? Had he been killed? Neither of those were possibilities. He couldn't have fallen asleep because his insomnia wouldn't have let him. And if he had somehow fallen into slumber, he would have woken up as soon as someone had taken a step within thirty feet of him. None of this made sense, and Cloud didn't like it.

Not so hushed whispers broke out among the inhabitants of the cafeteria, piquing Cloud's intrigue. What could make everyone so excited? A glance over his shoulder explained everything. Two men sauntered into the room, disregarding the stares and murmurs completely. The pair was as alike as they were different. Cloud turned back to his meal. He didn't need to see them to know exactly what they looked like. No, he was intimately aware of their appearances. Straight silver strands sliding over broad shoulders before curving to a stop at the edge of a strong lower back. That was the first thing a person would notice when looking at General Sephiroth. The next thing they would be drawn to are his mako green eyes, cat-like in their appearance. He was captivating in every sense of the word as they fit perfectly onto his face, just above his arched nose and high cheek bones. Pale skin was a sharp contrast to the black leather trench coat that stuck to his form like a second skin, flowing down to his knees like a shadow. His cold demeanor made him unapproachable and that suited him in the fact that he was as untouchable as a shadow. He was the dream of all and the reality none. The person closest to that dream was Zackary Fair.

Lieutenant Fair was a near 360 degree turn around from his commanding officer. Long, navy blue tinted ebony hair stuck out at awkward angles to just past his shoulders, broad yet narrow shoulders. Cloud still hadn't figured out how just he managed that. Violet eyes danced happily as talented hands made motions for whatever conversation that Zack was gracing the taller man with. While Sephiroth stood at around 6'2-6'3, Zack was probably a straight 6'0. His eccentric voice was like music to Cloud's ears after eighteen years without it. Zack's voice was Light and airy, yet not overly so. It reminded Cloud of a violin whereas Sephiroth's would have been more like a cello, deep and smooth.

Realizing that everyone besides himself had snapped to attention in the presence of the General and Lieutenant General, Cloud mentally cursed. With deliberate slowness, he stood and gave a salute. Moving too fast would show just how flustered he was at seeing them again; made all the memories of death and destruction fill his mind once more. He had to push the thoughts away before they overtook him, just as they did when he finally got to sleep at night. Just as they did when he woke up with a scream stuck in his throat, sweat glistening on his body. This was the only time he allowed the solid wall of apathy around him to break. Cloud got to sleep probably once every two and a half weeks or so, and only for a few hours. Those were the hours he resented, the hours where he could do nothing but relive his worst memories again and again.

"At ease." The General's voice sounded just like a cello, just like he remembered. While every person scrambled to sit back down, Cloud took his time. It wasn't as if the General had ordered everyone to be seated. Either way, Cloud needed to get to class soon and taking a twisted trip down memory lane wouldn't help. Even as he grasped this concept, he couldn't help but bask in the glow of his once best friend. He could hear the bright voice of Zack all the way from the food line on the other side of the room. Cloud closed his eyes and shut everything down. He couldn't deal with this right now, he just couldn't. With his resolve at full strength once more, Cloud picked up his tray and walked past the two higher-ups without looking back. He hadn't eaten much, but the only thing left on his plate was carrots, and Cloud couldn't stand carrots.


	3. Chapter Three

_**Author's Note: **__Hello! I haven't made the chapters as long as I hoped so the dating of Cloud and Sephiroth might be a bit past chapter twelve. Sorry. Thanks to all reviewers and readers. You are appreciated. _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I still don't own it. Shocker, right?_

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slight Yaoi. _

Sephiroth heard light footsteps behind him, as if someone had taken off their shoes and tried to sneak away. Then again, maybe someone had. He ignored the person, if they were really foolish enough to believe he couldn't detect them that would be their downfall. Although it was surprising that someone was dense enough to try and trick the hero of the Wutai War, he assumed that ShinRa would never be at war again if everyone were bright enough to see that they couldn't win, and then where would he be? Sephiroth tuned the world out as he went further into his ponderings, aware of nothing and everything all at once. He continued on auto-pilot until a shocking mess of yellow walked into his peripheral vision. It was a person, small, with an olive green uniform and standard combat boots, obviously a cadet. Sephiroth made a mental note to look at the cadets' files later. The boy, once again, didn't look very large so his file should be easy to find. Dyed hair was strictly against protocol, and it was ludicrous of anyone to believe that they could get away with such an audacious color. A personal visit from the General would take that out of him, surely.

"Hey, Seph, you okay?" Glowing green eyes turned to study Lieutenant Zackary Fair with sharp intensity. His violet eyed companion wore his heart on his sleeve, making the concern he was feeling evident. Zackary could, of course, disguise his emotions, he simply preferred not to.

"I assure you that I'm perfectly all right, Zackary." Sephiroth knew his tone wasn't as amiable as Lieutenant Fair's, but Zackary never seemed to mind. Another moment passed under Zack's scrutiny before an impressive grin appeared on the shorter male's face. It didn't, however, look as carefree as his usual beaming smiles; something was obviously bothering him.

"Alrighty then, Seph! I'll take your word for it!" A strong pat on the back that would have made a normal man stumble accompanied Zack's words. Sephiroth, knowing that Zackary was itching to say whatever was on his mind, gave him a nearly questioning look. Though most would have missed the fact that the General had any expression on his face at all, his Second-in-Command caught on immediately.

"It's just…" Zack scratched the back of his head with the hand which wasn't holding his now full tray, "I was really hoping my chocobo would be here…" Emerald green eyes resisted the minor urge to roll themselves at Zack's words.

"And why, pray tell, would there be a chocobo in the mess hall?" Sephiroth regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth.

"He's got to eat, doesn't he?" Zack's voice held a, "duh" undertone, as if this were obvious. Somehow, Sephiroth knew that, if it weren't for the mako surging through his veins, he would have a headache.

"Yes, but why would a _chocobo _be eating in the _mess hall_?" Sephiroth made sure to stress some words ever so slightly to get Zack's attention. Really, the large, bird-like creatures known commonly as chocobos would eat in stables, not militia cafeterias. This didn't seem to be a very good question though, as Zack looked at him like he had grown a second head.

"Where _else_ would he eat? Jeez, Seph, you're off your ball today." Zackary's tone implied that this was common knowledge and Sephiroth wondered, not for the first time, what exactly went on in Gongaga to make Zackary so…Zack-like. Though his internal use of words had Sephiroth cringing, he could think of no better way to describe the rather peculiar SOLDIER. Spotting an empty plate in front of him, Sephiroth stood up, signaling that lunch was now over.

**************

Cloud carried three large text books back to the barracks with ease. They were nothing compared to the weights on his wrists and ankles. Turning the knob with a flick of the wrist, Cloud walked into the big, stuffy room. Eight bunks were stacked against the wall in an orderly fashion parallel to the wall with four bedside tables containing the personal effects f cadets, which reminded Cloud that he needed to switch bunks with whatever cadet had a back, bottom bunk. Just in case someone decided to attack his barrack this time around, he wanted to be ready.

"Johnson, you're late! Don't worry though, we've got all the answers right here." A smug voice came from the opposite side of the room, pausing Cloud as he located the source of the words. Two burly males were sitting on the last bunk to the left, hovering over papers which were clearly more interesting than Johnson, or whoever else they thought him to be. Cloud's ever observant eyes narrowed, trying to place names with faces. They both had cropped brown hair, hazel eyes and small noses whose bridges were perhaps just a fraction two long. They were, undeniably, twins. Cloud had only ever known one set of tins while a cadet so they must be Chris and Trent Davis. Add that to the fact that one of them had called him Johnson and Cloud got the fact that those papers were the answer key to an upcoming test. He wouldn't have been able to get this answer if it weren't for the fact that they all got caught. At least, they did last time.

"Dude, what are you waiting for? We've got to memorize this before Sergeant Carcel notices we took it!" The raspy voice said once more before looking to Cloud with a glare. The hazel eyes widened in shock when they confirmed that it was, indeed, not their friend that had entered the room, but Cloud. "Shit! Chris, look!" Chris looked up, which meant that the one on the left must be Trent. With a quick scan of the two Cloud quickly distinguished that Trent's eyes were just a bit darker than Chris's, and Chris was half an inch or so taller than Trent. It was hard to tell with them sitting down.

"What do you-fuck! Who's he!?" Chris's voice was lighter than Trent's, showing who the elder of the two was. Cloud merely blinked. It wasn't as if he cared whether or not they cheated.

"Hell if I know! Shit!" A quick glance around the room showed Trent that no one else was there and this seemed to give him the confidence he needed to face Cloud. "Look, you'd better not snitch on us, or we'll...we'll make you regret it!" His voice wavered, betraying how nervous he really was. Cloud just barely cocked an eyebrow. Trent looked like he was about to flee. Quite suddenly, Chris scowled and stood up, an air of almost-menace about floating him. Perhaps to someone else, he was intimidating, but Cloud had seen things much, much worse than an angry, twenty-year old brat.

"You think you're so high and mighty? I could turn your scrawny ass inside out and send you crying home to your momma if I wanted to, and by Gaia if you spill than I will!" Chris's voice was an angry snarl and Cloud blinked. Why must everyone assume him to be such a mother's boy? As Cloud gave no reaction to the abysmal threat, Chris took a step forward, pounding his right fist into his left hand. Did he even realize just how childish he looked? This silly action appeared to snap Trent out of his stupor though as he got up to advance on Cloud with his brother. They were stopped abruptly as a door slammed open.

"R-Reno!" Trent stumbled over his words like a toddler in trouble with his mother. Then again, Cloud supposed Reno had been quite popular at this time.

"What's goin' on here, yo?" A tan hand landed on Cloud's shoulder as the smooth voice stopped. It was definitely Reno. No one else used slang like the red-head. Chris was the first to speak.

"This little fucker just barged in here and we're just making sure he doesn't tell anybody that we've got the answers to Friday's test." Cloud frowned as Reno's face appeared in front of his with a disturbingly small amount of distance between them. Smoky green eyes looked right at him, looking more amused than angry. A mocking grin fell onto the red head's face as he turned to the enraged twins.

"Are you kiddin' me, yo? Blondie here ain't nothin' to worry 'bout! He doesn't have the guts to snitch on ya. Isn't that right?" The ridicule was clear in Reno's tone as he poked fun at Cloud and ruffled the blonde locks with the hand not on his shoulder. It was clear that Reno was looking for a blush and stuttered words of defense, but he failed to realize that the rude jabs meant absolutely nothing to Cloud. And while Reno was right about Cloud not telling, he was about as far off as he could get when it came to the reason. They would get caught, why interfere? As Cloud glanced at the papers, an idea clicked in his mind. He wouldn't tell either way, but they didn't know that.

"He's right, I won't tell." Trent visibly relaxed as the words escaped Cloud's mouth, but Chris looked suspicious. Good for Chris. "If you switch bunks with me, that is." Two pairs of Hazel eyes widened incredulously and Reno froze.

"You can't just demand to switch bunks with me!" Chris's voice had raised an octave by the end of the sentence and, frankly, it was pathetic. He had done such a good job of hiding his distress too…

"I'm not. I want to switch bunks with him, and considering the circumstances, I can demand anything I want." Cloud held his voice steady and trained his eyes on Trent, who was much more likely to break than Chris. The blonde felt Reno's body relax and he knew that this had just become dangerous grounds. If Reno was anything like his future self, than Cloud had just piqued his interest.

"Wh-" Trent stopped as he heard his voice crack and tried desperately to calm himself down before continuing. "Why do you want to switch?" Cloud gave a small shrug, something he wouldn't do in a normal situation but necessary none the less. He needed them to believe that this was nothing but a whim.

"I'm tired of getting woken up in the middle of the night every time someone gets up to go to the bathroom. That won't happen as much back here." It was a reasonable excuse and Cloud could see Trent's resolve wavering. It would only be a matter of time before-

"I…I guess so. But you have to swear you won't tell!" Bingo.

"As far as I'm concerned, this interaction never happened." Cloud resisted the urge to smirk. As unlikely as it was that the bunkers of a bunch of lowly cadets would be attacked, the possibility was still there. Slipping out from under Reno, Cloud placed his books on his old bunk and said, "We'll trade off later tonight." before leaving. Today was the day he met Zack, and he couldn't live with himself if he let that opportunity slip through his fingers.

*************

Zack had the strongest urge to ram his head against his desk until passing out. And he would do so if he didn't know that he would just wake up to more paperwork and a deadly glare from Sephiroth. And seriously, who wanted one of those? A frown marred Zack's face. It wasn't like he would make it to his desk anyways. After the second hour back in the office Sephiroth declared Masamune clean and forced Zack to the couch with a clip board to do the remaining paperwork while the General answered his e-mail; something about Rufus sending him an important letter regarding upcoming missions. Yeah right, he was probably looking up porn on the internet. Well he would let little Sephy have his fun for now, but one day Zack was going to run into the perfect girl and then the General would be the one with nothing, or should he say no one, to do. The triumphant smirk was wiped off of Zack's face as he remembered that the General was, well, the _General_ and could have practically anyone he wanted. What a bummer. Looking down and seeing that, just like Sephiroth had told him on numerous occasions, that the paperwork wasn't going to do itself, Zack sighed and got to work. After throwing away anything and everything with the words "Hojo" and "Science Department" on them, there was still way too much.

Then again, he had a new chocobo to look forward to. Yes, and once they reversed the effects of whatever had mutated the poor thing into a human, Zack could take him home and he could be like a guard dog. Were there such things as guard chocobos? A grin made its way to Zack's face. There are now. Maybe Cloudy would even guard Sephiroth from Hojo? That'd be nice. Unless, of course, Hojo found out that Cloud had once been human; then the evil scientist would want to experiment on him, and Zack refused to let that happen. Which only left one option: renaming Cloud. Violet eyes narrowed as he mindlessly signed paperwork, going through all of the name possibilities for such cute creature.

"Zackary, what are you doing?"

Fluffy? No, it was too happy.

"Zackary."

How about Mr. Snuggle Butt? ... Tempting, but no, his chocobo might just kill him for that one.

"Lieutenant Fair."

Ooh! He knew _exactly _what to call the cute little blonde!

A pen hit Zack in the middle of his forehead, tossing him rudely out of his musings.

"Spike!" Zack's shocked voice came out with a reprimanding tone as he looked around wildly for the chocobo that just pecked him on the forehead.

"…What?" Sephiroth's cold voice turned the question into a statement as it cut through the thick wall of Zack's imagination, bringing the real world crashing down on his head. Zack, finally realizing that he was not in a small cabin with a beautiful woman and his golden guard chocobo, blinked dazedly.

"What what?" A pout reached Zack's face; he had been having a nice day-dream too.

"Spike." Was the only reminder that the General gave. A wide grin broke through the pout and overtook Zack's face.

"That's what I'm going to name my chocobo when I catch him!"

************

Sephiroth didn't bother responding as he rose from his old chair and made his way to the door. Zackary had finished his paperwork whether he realized this or not, hence the reason Sephiroth had thrown the pen. All he could say was that he had sympathy for this 'chocobo' that Zackary was so intent on catching, whether it was real or not. He supposed it didn't matter; he had found the blonde's file while waiting for Zack to finish up and came to two possible conclusions. Either his hair was naturally that bright or he had dyed it before joining and it looked natural enough to pass through. He was fairly sure it wasn't the former. Just how much did cadets think they could get away with? It was laughable that it took a general to realize someone wasn't using their natural hair color. It didn't matter now. He would go to the blonde's Physical Training class and reprimand him in front of his petty friends for being stupid enough to think he could actually get away with dyeing his hair before leaving. The blonde would show his true colors, quite literally, before the night was over.

"Hey, Seph! Wait up, will you?!" Zack's boisterous voice echoed down the hall as he rushed to the general's side, crate of carrots in hand. Sephiroth didn't bother asking why his companion brought the carrots with him; he didn't particularly want to know. "So where are you headed?" The silver haired male ignored Zack in hopes that he would simply catch on. This corridor _only _led to indoor training facility, which made it fairly obvious where he was headed for. "Well I'm going to the training room, the inside one!" Sephiroth quelled the urge to rub his temples. He had guessed that much. "My chocobo's in there." That explained the carrots. It didn't, on the other hand, explain why his chocobo was there in the first place; if his chocobo even existed, that is. Sephiroth opened the heavy iron doors with ease before stepping into the indoor training facility, more commonly known as the I.T.F. It was just as he remembered it: weapons of every shape, form and fashion lining the walls, mats filled with children trying to prove themselves to each other through physical combat strewn neatly around the lower floor of the room, training machines filling up the other side of the enormous upper floor, flashing distractingly from the fluorescent lights above; it was all the same.

Finding the blonde wasn't hard, the fair-haired boy stuck out amongst the other cadets. Yet as soon as he spotted Strife and the brunette he was fighting, the general couldn't look away. Both boys were making mistakes, simple mistakes that were expected from cadets, but somehow it didn't look…_real_. The young brunette seemed to be honestly struggling, but Cadet Strife didn't have a bead of sweat on him. And his mistakes were repetitive, but not hindering. It was as if he meant to be wrong. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed dangerously. Something was off with the kid, and it wasn't just his hair color.

"Isn't he great!?" Pale lids momentarily covered brilliant green eyes before Sephiroth glanced at Zack. He had almost forgotten the hyper male was there.

"Whom?" The general's voice was soft, attention focused once more on the strange blonde below.

"My chocobo!" Zackary pointed to the blonde and Sephiroth didn't know who he needed to question. Zackary eventually won out and, without taking his eyes off of Strife, he began questioning the closest thing he had to a friend.

"You're chocobo is a cadet?"

"Of course not! He mutated somehow to _look_ like a cadet. Duh." For the second time since reaching the overly large room, Sephiroth tore his attention away from the blonde. A slim, silver eyebrow rose from its usual place on Sephiroth's face. Surely his Lieutenant wasn't _serious_. When moments passed by without Zackary breaking into hysterical laughter, he knew it was so.

"And…_how_, exactly, did you come to this conclusion?" Zack looked at Sephiroth like he had just asked why chocobos could fly.

"Look sat his hair, Seph. How did you _not_ come to this conclusion?" Without another word, Sephiroth walked down to the mats to confront Zack's 'chocobo'.

***************

Cloud watched his opponent steadily. Though he was an amateur, he certainly packed a punch. Well, that's what Cloud had heard. The boy hadn't yet managed to lay a finger on him. Making sure to twist his fist at a slightly awkward angle before showing a light punch, Cloud hit the boy's abdomen, knocking the breath out of him. That wasn't right. He hadn't even tried to dodge the hit. Cloud heard the footsteps a moment too late. Footsteps which he would recognize anywhere, the ones that kept him up at night, the ones that carried a six foot sword that had run through him too many times to count. His reaction was automatic as he felt the large hand curl around his shoulder blade. Cloud didn't put a second thought into wrapping his hands around the muscular wrist, digging hid fingers into three pressure points simultaneously and flipping a large body over his shoulder. The brilliant silver hair and entrancing green eyes didn't bring him back to the present, merely pushed him further into the past, or future, it was all the same to him.

The general was crouched and reaching for Masamune before anyone could process what was happening. Cloud himself could only think three things. One: he didn't have Tsurugi. Two: his stance was all wrong. Three: General Sephiroth was in a battle position in front of him. It took all of two seconds for Cloud to realize that he was at a disadvantage. Immediately, Cloud fixed his stance, quickly scanning the wall behind the general for a weapon that might be able to sustain itself against Masamune. In the end, his eyes tuned in on a buster sword made from bones of prehistoric MONSTERS. Of course, no one else here knew what it was made of, but it didn't matter. He hadn't figured out that there had been a First Calamity until the second one was nearly over.

His feet were ready to dart for the sword before his mind finally caught up with the rest of him. Shit. Cloud quickly schooled his expression to one of neutrality, straightening up and forcing his body to relax. The images of death and destruction still flashed behind his eyes from seeing Sephiroth ready to pull out Masamune, the warning bells still chimed in his head from being at such a close proximity with the General and the maniacal laughter of a once great man still rang in his ears but Cloud showed none of it.

"I'm quite sorry about that, Sir. You caught me by surprise." Cloud didn't mean a word of it, but no one could tell. He had far too much control for that. It wasn't surprising how his control tried to flee in the presence of General Sephiroth, but Cloud wouldn't let it. He stared the silver haired man in the eyes and tried to force everything away. This was neither the time nor the place to have such thoughts.

Sound from above caught Cloud's attention, breaking his staring contest with the General. Zack stood on the upper floor balcony gaping at Sephiroth and him, a crate sat on the floor with carrots spilling out of the top. Cloud couldn't help the miniscule smile which appeared on his face at seeing his old friend in such a position. If there was one thing Cloud had missed, it was Zack.

*************

Sephiroth stared at the blonde as his face softened, staring at something behind and above the General. Zackary, his mind numbly supplied, but the silver haired man wasn't listening. No, he was much too occupied by the sight of the beautiful blonde in front of him. Time seemed to stop. The sun shone through a lofty window, highlighting the blonde strands of hair which begged to be touched. And the blonde fluff only contrasted the blue orbs which took up most of the young man's face. He was the epitome of purity, practically pleading to be tarnished. What Sephiroth wouldn't do to be the one to tarnish him… It was easy to imagine the young blonde writhing under him, begging for release. It was a pleasant thought. Abruptly, Sephiroth's throat went dry and his pants became unusually tight, allowing him to become conscious of the thoughts running rampant through his head. Perhaps Zackary was correct; the lack of sex was beginning to affect him. His inability to respond had gone on long enough to become noticeable and Sephiroth nearly rushed to cover himself, working to keep his voice level and impartial.

"It's fine. I was simply going to correct your stance, but it seems you accomplished that fine on your own." Which was as true as it was strange; the blonde had been making numerous mistakes before Sephiroth had approached him, but everything had become perfect as soon as Sephiroth's hand had come in contact with him. This strengthened his resolve that Strife had been faking his incapacity to fight, which led him to believe that the rest of his grades were finely calculated failures as well. Gracefully standing up, now that his not so little problem was gone, of course, Sephiroth made his way back up the steps, back towards Zackary. He was fully aware of the calculating blue eyes following his every movement. Zackary chose such interesting pets.

****************

"So you think he's failing _on_ _purpose_? Why?!" Zack was clueless as to what had happened in the training center. The last time he had seen Sephiroth caught off guard was when he and Tseng had gotten into a fight and Sephiroth had been sick at the time so that didn't even really count. "How did he manage to flip you? I can't even flip you!" And suddenly, nothing made sense in the world of Zack. His cute, depressed, little chocobo was good at fighting, and if Sephiroth was right than it was a lot more than fighting that he was good at.

"He used pressure points, as I've explained to you six times now. I lost all feeling in my right arm up to my elbow, allowing him to propel me over him shoulder." Zack could tell that Sephiroth was quickly beginning to tire of explaining things to him, but he couldn't help it! This was blowing his mind.

"What are we going to do about this?" Zack hoped it wasn't anything too harsh, and he was sure it showed in his voice, because the look Cloud had given him did nothing but strengthen his resolve that what the little chocobo needed was a good friend.

"We're going to have an early SOLDIER exam for a lone cadet." Zack's eyes widened at the General's response. It was hard enough to complete the SOLDIER exams with the assigned team, doing it alone was out of the question. Judging by the smug look in the General's eyes, it was going to be the answer. That night, Zack prayed to Gaia that Spike would do well on his surprise exams.


	4. Chapter Four

_**Author's Note: **__Thanks so much for reviewing, Guys! This is amazing! I was just wondering what length you all would prefer the chapters to be. If anyone would mind giving their opinion, I'd be forever thankful._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I bid on it on e-bay but lost. So I guess it's still not mine…_

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. Not very explicit. __**Will **__be explicit when between main characters. You have been warned. _

Cloud stared at the stars without really seeing them. His insomnia had followed him back and he knew from experience that any attempt at sleep would be futile. This, unsurprisingly, left Cloud alone with his thoughts. It was mostly an endless circle of questions with a morbid, theoretical answer here and there. As he stared at the bright balls of gas which lit up the sky, he couldn't help but wonder, once more, why he was here. It was obvious that the Planet had something to do with it, but what? Endless scenarios looped around in Cloud's mind, getting relentlessly picked off by his ever-logical mind. This wasn't working. The wind blew lightly and Cloud's nose crinkled as he got a whiff of himself. He had been in the gym just before coming here, working off the frustrations of having lost control for so soon, and in front of the General no less. The silver haired man was nowhere near stupid enough to pass it off as Adrenaline, and the only thing Cloud could do was wait for him to make a move. A breathless sigh escaped Cloud's lips. What he needed was a shower.

Luke warm water ran over Cloud's bare body as he thought on the day's events, avoiding the obvious problem of being in the wrong time like the plague. There was no need to drive himself crazy over it. A lean arm leaned against tiles yellowed by time as thoughts raced through his mind. The locker room was spacious, forty shower heads spaced equally about the room, and twenty drains littered the floor, one between each shower head; other than that, the room was empty. He had nearly forgotten that privacy didn't exist in the army. Slowly, he lathered his hair with shampoo, mind already wandering to other matters. Reno had looked like a shorter replica of his older self, minus the mussed up suit, goggles and Nightstick. Smoky green eyes questioning everything and fire red hair flinging itself out at every angle were traits attributed only to Reno and it was almost funny how much he _didn't_ mature in the future. A dry laugh escaped his lips and his mind changed directions, to more serious issues. When he had flipped Sephiroth over his shoulder, even before that, he had felt something. It was something that he was so intimately familiar with that, if he concentrated, he could feel it crawling along in his veins. Mako. When this realization first came to him, Cloud had wondered dubiously how he had missed it before.

It made sense though; he had been with Mako for twenty three years now, it was hardly noticeable anymore. And that was the problem. Cloud wasn't supposed to have any mako in his system yet; and this mako felt…_different_. It was lighter, more pure than the thick liquid that had once flown through his veins. Yet this made no sense whatsoever. There was only one kind of mako. Light footsteps approaching the showers made Cloud aware that he was about to have visitors. Swiftly composing himself, Cloud began to wash the soap out of his hair. A low wolf whistle let him know that he had been spotted.

*************

Reno allowed his eyes to roam over Strife's lean body. Huh, who woulda guessed that he was such a god under the uniform? Certainly not Reno. Unblemished, as far as Reno could tell, bronze skin drenched in water glistened from the dim lights, emphasizing the small, well-toned muscles of Cloud's lithe body. As enticing as that was, it wasn't what Reno had come to the showers for. No, he had come for an questioning session with the cute blonde. Something was up with Cloud for him to have been able to handle the Davis twins so well, and Reno was Hell bent on finding out what that was. The red head placed a lecherous smile on his face before sauntering over to the smaller but, who had just finished cleaning his hair and began on his body. After all, what was the best way to get information from a hormonal teenage boy? His smile widened just a fraction.

"Would ya like some help with that, yo?" It was a whispered promise into the blonde's ear and Reno was surprised the younger male wasn't hard yet. Thinking back to the rumor about Cloud tossing the General over his shoulder that he had heard earlier that day, Reno decided to press a bit further. Though he put no credibility in the story, he didn't want to take chances, hence the wolf whistle. Reno didn't want to "catch Cloud by surprise" like the General supposedly had. Cloud tensed slightly as Reno slipped his arms over taut shoulder blades.

"I can make sure you're totally clean, you'll have to get a bit dirty first though, if ya catch my drift…" Reno knew the effect he had on people, and Cloud would be no different. Glancing down, the red head expected to see an erection pulling through blonde pubic hairs; he was unpleasantly taken aback when he saw that Cloud remained limp. His charm worked on everyone; how wasn't Strife-

"No thank you." With three simple, apathetic words, Cloud was gone. Reno blinked at where the blonde had stood mere moments ago, mouth agape at what had just happened. Slowly, the corners of his mouth were drawn up in a devious smirk. This would be fun.

***************

Zack was in his office by seven, drinking his seventh cup of coffee by seven ten and barging into Sephiroth's office, which Zack thought looked much more like a suite than anything else, by seven twenty five. Five times, Zack paced about the comfortably sized room before beginning his rant.

"We can't give him the exams. He'll never pass! Do you really want to crush his spirit like that? He's _my _chocobo Seph, you can't humiliate him in front of all of ShinRa without my permission, an you're _not _getting my permission! No, I refuse to let you make a fool out of him! You wouldn't actually do that to him, would you? Of course you wouldn't. He's such a cute little chocobo. Hey! You have to listen to me, Seph! I get that you want to test him, but this isn't the way! And, yes! As a matter of fact, I _have_ already realized that I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, but I had to try, didn't I? At least promise me that you'll take it easy on him." Zack panted from saying so much so quickly, barely registering that Sephiroth hadn't so much as glanced up throughout Zack's entire speech.

When Sephiroth made no move to respond, Zack began a one-sided conversation with his General, interpreting ever move that the elder man made as a response.

"What do you mean you won't take it easy on him?!"

Sephiroth signed another paper with a few leisurely strokes. He wanted to see what Cloud could do.

"Well, what if he fails miserably at everything, huh?"

A soft shrug that would have looked like he was simply repositioning himself set Zack off. The General obviously didn't care if little Cloudy would _fail_; he just wanted to know whether or not the boy could _pass_.

"It would ruin him! The poor kid fell way short of passing last time, and that was under normal circumstances!" Frenzied words of worry poured out of Zack's mouth and Sephiroth didn't give a clue to what he was thinking. I was official; Sephiroth was going to issue an early SOLDIER exam to Cloud, just Cloud. He had to warn his chocobo.

"When will it be?" Though Zack's voice had a hint of resignation, it was obvious that he wouldn't give up completely. No, if he gave up than he'd never get to see Spike smile and eat carrots next to the fire. He'd never be able to de-mutate the blonde and help him find his mother. No, Zack would never surrender. Never.

"March nineteenth." Determination sparked to life inside of bright, purple orbs. Zack had an entire week to prepare his golden chocobo for what could, quite possibly, be the end of his military career. This was way more time than he expected! Making sure not to waste a minute, Zack rushed out the door to find Spike, forgetting that the blonde's schedule was sitting on Sephiroth's desk where he had left it. He rushed towards the I.T.F.s, unintentionally going farther and farther away from Cloud with each step he took.

**************

Cloud stared at the test in front of him. The single pack of paper would decide whether or not he got to work with heavy machinery as a SOLDIER. It was no wonder why the three men had wanted to cheat on it. Resisting the urge to bite his lip, Cloud calculated how many questions he would have to miss to make an eighty-eight. Considering there were fifty questions, he'd have to throw six of them. Cloud easily tore through the questions, knowing the answers from both experience and the book; he finished first. After turning his paper in, only minutes before a loud, "What the _fuck _is _this_!?_"_ echoed through the room.

Trent had just been caught cheating; with a few papers which he hadn't returned to Sergeant Carcel. He stuttered over mundane excuses before his quick, panicked voice betrayed his brother.

"Chris cheated too!" And then Trent flinched away; he really was horrible under pressure. Chris froze, shooting an alarmed look at Johnson, which was not overlooked by Carcel.

"_All three of you_!?" The Sergeant wasn't pleased, if his booming roar of a voice was anything to go by. Cloud nearly scoffed. They shouldn't have cheated in the first place. Quite suddenly, all eyes were upon him. Had he said that aloud? Judging by the murderous expression on Chris Davis's face, he had. Damn.

"_You_! This is your fault!" Hazel eyes narrowed dangerously and Cloud withheld another scoff. How was this his fault? "You snitched on us! Didn't you!?" Cloud briefly wondered where Chris had been for the past few minutes. Carcel groaned loudly.

"Don't tell me he's in on this , too!"

Cloud opened his mouth to protest but the Sergeant didn't want to hear it.

"All of you, out, now!" Large blue eyes blinked with boredom at the command. Well this certainly hadn't happened last time.

*************

Sephiroth blinked. Four cadets had been caught cheating from papers that had been stolen from Sergeant Carcel's desk. Three of them had confessed, the last one denied any involvement in the matter. Considering the severity of the crime, it would have to be looked further into; neither cheating nor thieving tolerated in ShinRa. The three boys would never be able to become a SOLDIER now. Number four, however, still had a chance; depending on whether he was found guilty or not, of course. That's brought Sephiroth to the position he was in now, standing in front of the four boys in the interrogation room with Lieutenant General Zackary Fair by his side. What had two such powerful men down interrogating a few lowly grunts, some wondered. The only blonde in the room would be the answer.

Zackary had all but dragged Sephiroth down to the stark white room when he heard who the people accused of cheating were. Cloud wouldn't cheat; Zack was sure of it. Sephiroth wasn't so confident. As he looked at the four accused, Sephiroth couldn't help but notice how much Strife stood out. While the other three were looking around as if they were about to be executed, Strife had a calm air about him, almost as if he'd been in such a position before; many times. For all Sephiroth knew, maybe he had. A red light blinked in the corner, signaling that the cameras were on and they could start.

"Do all of you admit to cheating on Mechanical Engineering exam?" Zack's voice was hard as he began asking questions, hardening further when he received a chorus of three yeses and a no. Strife didn't waver under the General's intense stare, simply looked back; almost as if asking if they had actually wasted the time and effort to bring him here for _this_.

"Yes you did!" One of the twins shouted, obviously trying to save face in front of his hero. "You walked in on us and demanded to switch bunks with me in exchange for your silence!" He sounded confident. "But you told anyway, you dirty liar!" Strife merely leaned back and crossed his arms, clearly bored.

"You asked to switch bunks with me because you were tired of getting yelled at for waking everyone up in the middle of the night when you went to the bathroom. I had nothing to do with your little cheating frenzy." The blonde's voice sounded bored, as if explaining something to a small child.

"No way! You initiated the switch! You-" the frantic boy turned to the SOLDIERs desperately. "He- ask anyone! Ask…ask…" A light seemed to flash behind hazel eyes. "Ask Reno! He was there! He'll tell you!" Zackary turned to Sephiroth questioningly before shrugging and leaving to tell a secretary to fetch a Cadet Reno.

**************

Reno looked at the big breasted secretary with curiosity. Why the Hell would they need him in the interrogation room? He hadn't done anything worth going there for a while now. Understanding crashed down on him as soon as he saw the Davises and Johnson in the room, and disappeared just as quickly when he spotted Strife.

"Tell them, Reno! Tell them how Strife offered to trade bunks with me if he kept quiet about us cheating! Tell them!" And everything clicked again. They had gotten caught – which explained why Trent was freaking out – and tried to drag Cloud down with them, assuming automatically assuming he had snitched. While Reno liked the Davises, he was much more interested in Cloud. Unfortunately, chess pieces had to be sacrificed to save the Queen.

"I dunno what you're talkin' 'bout, yo." All hope fell from Trent's face just as the words fell from Reno's mouth. Reno hardly noticed. Blondie was even more breath taking in the light, an air of confidence floating about him. It was subtle, but there. The red-head could imagine clean, bronze skin once more; and suddenly wished that he had done more than just lean on Cloud's shoulders the night before. Smoky green eyes dazed a bit. What a pleasure that would be. Destroying the blonde's cold shell sounded like a magnificent idea to Reno, a plan already forming in his head as he walked out. He had just saved Cloud's ass, as far as he was concerned, Cloud owed him.

**************

Zack had the insane urge to hit the 'Reno' kid. Who named their kid after a gambling house? A bunch of dunder bats, that's who. The way he had so blatantly undressed Zack's precious little chocobo with his annoying green eyes had pissed Zack off to no end. Couldn't he see that Spike was way too innocent for that kind of stuff!? The fluffy blonde hadn't noticed the lust in dazed, grey-green eyes. Not to mention that he was way too good for the red head. Suddenly, Zack realized that he was going to have to defend his chocobo's virtue from all of the perverts in the world. Glancing around, he realized that this was way too big a job for Zack to do by himself. Cloud was, admittedly, the prettiest boy that Zack had ever laid eyes on. Yes, he'd definitely need help, and he knew exactly who to enlist.

Sephiroth stared at Zack. And stared, and stared, and- "You want me to what?"

"Help me protect Spike's virginity." Zack stated bluntly. And the staring was back. "Seph, we _have _to help him! Did you not see the way that _Reno_," Zack practically spat the name, "kid raped him with his eyes?! He _needs_ us!" Sephiroth had to agree, who could protect little Cloudy's virtue better than him?

**************

Sephiroth came to the distinct conclusion that Zackary Fair was a horrible judge of character. Though he had seen the red head's lusty stares, and though it had annoyed him slightly, he really didn't think that putting himself – who had had thoughts which were just as bad, if not worse, than the red head's – on guard duty was a very good idea. Of course, the only reason that he had such thoughts about Strife was because of his distinct lack of sex lately so it might have been a good idea after all. Who knew?

The silver haired General didn't, however, see why he had to have been drug to a wild night club under the Plate to receive this information. As soon as Sephiroth had given a scarce look of approval, Zackary had skipped away contently. Sephiroth stared out at the dance floor in an almost bored fashion, watching drunken bodies slosh against each other in what he supposed passed as a dance to their intoxicated eyes. Suddenly, he wondered what Strife would act like when drunk. Scenarios of a drunken blonde spread through his head like wild fire. Would the boy talk animatedly or slouch against anything and everything? Perhaps he would become even more aloof, or maybe he would show a sexual side. Images slowly replaced the scenarios and Sephiroth took another swig of the alcohol which did nothing but burn his throat. He hated the effects of mako sometimes, such as now when it prevented him from getting drunk.

The images didn't go away, they multiplied. Hazy blue orbs looking up at Sephiroth yearningly. Small, soft hands running lightly down his chest. Strong, lean legs wrapping around his waist, trying to pull him ever deeper into his hot, wet- Sephiroth cut himself off; this was getting out of hand. Ignoring the bulge in his pants, Sephiroth stood up and grabbed the first blonde haired male he saw, nearly dragging him into the bathroom. A large stall served as cover for the General while he quickly relieved the young male of his pants; only unzipping his own and pulling them down just far enough to get his heavy shaft out.

"Y-you're hot," slurred the blonde. Sephiroth ignored him; he highly doubted that Cloud would ever slur his words, being much too refined for such an undignified action. With a quick preparation, which the blonde hardly needed as he was already quite loose, Sephiroth penetrated him. The ecstasy filled gasp did nothing to the General as he pounded in and out of the boy, trying to ignore how his hair was neither bright nor fluffy enough. Disregarding the fact that the eyes were a rather dull brown instead of vibrant, sapphire blue, Sephiroth continued. The moans being emitted from the blonde's mouth were too strained, too high, and it annoyed Sephiroth's ever-sensitive ears.

Sensing that the boy was about to cum, Sephiroth clenched his hand around the base of the other male's cock. It wouldn't do to have him getting such filth on him in public. With a few more hard thrusts, Sephiroth had finished, slowly pulling out of the young man before setting him on the ground, only then, did he allow the blonde release Feeling better already, Sephiroth stashed his softening cock back into his pants and walking out of the bathroom like nothing had happened. And looking at the stoic General, his clothes without a crease and not a single hair out of placed, no one ever guessed.


	5. Chapter Five

_**Author's Note: **__Alright, I've been told how much fun Zack is, and I love writing him, but he's been a bit dim so far. So I'm going to try and incorporate some of the intelligence that got him his position in the first place into his character. Sorry about that. Please tell me anything else that I can fix with my characters/plot/anything else. Also, things are about to get a Hell of a lot more complicated so hang onto your computers. We're not in Kansas anymore!___

_**Disclaimer:**__ I went to sleep and dreamed that I owned it but then I woke up and it wasn't mine._

_**Warning:**__ Language. _

Cloud watched Zack enter the classroom out of the corner of his eye. Everyone else, including Sergeant Dram, turned to look, more like gawk, at him. As much as Cloud was tempted to, he couldn't follow in their example. He had lied to the violet-eyed man and it ate away at his mind. It had been a survival tactic to stay in the pre-SOLDIER program, but would Zack understand that? Would Zack still want to be friends with Cloud once he found out – not that he knew that he wanted to be friends in the first place, but still? The thought that he would lose Zack again scared Cloud more than he cared to admit. A few words were mumbled on Zack's part, which Cloud's now recognized mako allowed him to pick up easily, were said before Dram's gravelly voice responded eagerly. Mako wasn't needed to figure out what Zack had said.

"Cloud Strife? He's right over there." The rough sound of Dram's voice vibrated off of the blank, white walls as he pointed at his only blonde student trying to be helpful. It was obvious to Cloud that the Sergeant had a small case of hero worship for Zack.

"Thanks." Zack's bright voice was once again too quiet for any non-enhanced person to hear without being two feet in front of him. Yet, once more, someone could have guessed the words which had been exchanged from Zack's body motions. The soft word of thanks had been accompanied with a small smile of pure politeness which had Dram nearly swooning before glowing violet eyes turned in Cloud's direction. Cloud swiftly avoided his eyes. Zack motioned for Cloud to follow him out of the room so he packed up his possessions and did just that. During the long trek to what Cloud recognized as Sephiroth's office, deep blue orbs glued themselves to anything and everything but Zack. He need someone he could talk to; everything was becoming too much for Cloud. As much as Cloud would love to confide in Zack, he knew that it would only be a matter of time until every word Cloud had said got to the General and Cloud wasn't ready for that quite yet.

Whom he needed to speak to was Tseng. Oh, how he needed to speak to Tseng. The man had practically taken care of him after Zack's death: forcing him to eat, drink, and even speak. In the end, it had only made the brunette's death all the more devastating. One would think that Aeris would have taken Zack's place in Cloud's heart, but they had never been able to retrieve the closeness which he and the Cetra had shared before Zack's untimely demise. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was simply that he couldn't bring himself to look into her beautiful sky blue eyes and seeing the pain and emotional loss that he knew he had caused. They had been in love, Aeris and Zack, and Cloud had ripped that away from her, from them.

Cloud stared at Zack's back with melancholy orbs after finally have given up his fruitless tries of avoiding looking at the taller male. The happy-go-lucky lieutenant shouldn't have died; it should have been Cloud. Zack had touched so many lives, like the light at the end of a tunnel, while Cloud had done nothing but destroy everything that had the displeasure of coming in contact with him. Tears tried to build up behind sapphire blue eyes but Cloud refused to let them. That well had run dry long ago, after Cloud figured out that crying solved absolutely _nothing_. A grim smile slid reluctantly onto Cloud's face as he thought about how, if Tseng were here, he'd have no choice but to cry. Yes, Tseng would batter him both mentally and physically until the tears came of their own free will. Only then would Tseng take Cloud into his arms and comfort the broken boy. Telling him about how letting his emotions run free every once in a while was the only way to survive. And sure enough, the blonde always felt better in the morning, warm and safe in Tseng's muscular limbs. Cloud was sure he would have gone crazy without the Turk's help. Don't be fooled, their relationship had been nowhere near sexual. Cloud had thought of Tseng as an elder brother, he still did.

Even as visions of Tseng's death flashed through his mind, Cloud reminded himself that Tseng hadn't died yet, he simply wasn't friends with Cloud. The halfway morbid smile fell instantly. That was the understatement of the year. Tseng wouldn't give him a second glance until he beat Sephiroth for the first time and even then he would only look long enough to shoot. Cloud unconsciously rubbed his left forearm where three of the brunette's bullets would lodge themselves approximately four years from now. He wasn't too sure what was worse: Tseng being dead or not knowing that Cloud so much as existed. Cloud mentally kicked himself, hard. It was much better that Tseng was alive and well and it was incredibly selfish of Cloud to have so much as thought such a thing. If never meeting Cloud gave Tseng a long, happy life than the blonde would avoid him like the CALAMITY. Eyes like rigid blue stones turned hard as diamonds when this thought passed through his mind. If isolating himself from the world kept his friends safe, than that's precisely what Cloud would do. Unbeknownst to the blonde cadet, a little piece of his soul had just fallen away into oblivion. Cloud was mentally destroying himself from the inside out, and he didn't even realize it.

Zack was a nervous wreck as he lad Cloud to Sephiroth's office. He wanted to tell Cloud about the early exam more than anything else in the world but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. His mouth went dry every time he opened it, making Zack stop numerous times for a drink. His chocobo was angry at him; Zack could tell by the way the blonde refused to look him in the eye. Didn't Cloud understand that Zack hadn't believed he had cheated in the first place? Sure, Zack thought that he might have known about it, but not that he actually participated in the whole cheating process. In fact, Zack had his suspicions that Cloud had lied during the interrogation. While the blonde hadn't given him any reason to believe he was lying, Zack had learned long ago to trust his gut. Besides, Cloud admitting to his involvement would only have complicated things. Though it hurt to think that his chocobo had lied to him, Zack had to remember two things. One: Zack would have done the same thing. Two: he had never actually said a word to Cloud. Yes, he had envisioned approaching the blonde many, many times, but something always got in the way. And now he was striding along in an empty hallway with Spike at his disposal and he couldn't untie his tongue for long enough to say a simple hello.

Why couldn't things work out easily for once?! Zack sometimes envied Cloud for his obviously easy life. The blonde had probably never fought with his parents, never slain a person in cold blood; he had probably had people falling all over him in his hometown for his blatant beauty and devil-may-care attitude. Without so much as pausing, Zack flung open Sephiroth's large, intricately decorated wooden door and stepped in. A huff passed through noticeably frustrated lips before the annoyed SOLDIER flounced ungracefully into the chair in front of Sephiroth's neatly organized desk, carelessly placing his feet onto the flat surface. He only faintly registered Cloud put up a salute, still trapped in his musings. The General's clear cut voice yanked him from said musings only moments later.

"At ease," Sephiroth's tone was clipped. "Cadet Strife, you have been selected to take an early SOLDIER exam approximately six days from now." Why couldn't Seph learn the art of subtlety; not that Zack had any room to talk, but still? Violet eyes locked onto Cloud, gauging his reaction. Blue eyes widened marginally before returning to normal, and that was his only physical reaction.

In fact, Zack barely managed not to jump as Cloud's soft voice rang out, "Permission to speak freely, Sir." Even in such an outrageous situation, Cloud remained calm.

"Permission granted."

"Why was I chosen for this exam? I have shown no potential in any academic field, exhibited no leadership abilities, and my physical attributes are less than exemplary." Cloud put himself down as if he was talking about the weather and Zack couldn't help but gape. Sephiroth, however, seemed to have been expecting this.

"No, you haven't _shown_ any signs, but your reaction to my touch in the indoor training facility leads me to believe differently. I think that you, for unknown reasons, failed on purpose. I'm also, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, assuming that with the proper mako injections you could become a top ranked SOLDIER in little to no time at all." Those words caught Zack's attention immediately. He hadn't suspected that the General's suspicions about Cloud ran so deep. Then again, with the ever calculating look in Spike's eyes, anything was possible.

"Do you deny this?" Two pairs of intensely brilliant eyes settled on Cloud's lightly tensed form: watching, waiting.

"I do not." Cloud responded after only a moment of hesitation. Zack couldn't take it anymore. He flung his feet off of the desk, knocking over a paper weight in the process, and fixed a disbelieving look onto the blonde.

"But why would you _fail_ on _purpose_?! That makes no sense!" And to Zack, it didn't. It was a ludicrous statement that had his mind reeling. An answer didn't immediately follow the question as Cloud carefully mulled over his thoughts. Hour long minutes passed before a soft reply filled the room.

***************

"If I were to work at my full potential, I'd be considered a prodigy. Prodigies have a tendency to attract…" Cloud paused, not sure how to word it, before continuing, "unwanted attention." Blue eyes watched the two men's reactions dutifully. Zack looked confused and doubt had flashed through Sephiroth's eyes when he had mentioned the word prodigy. If he had actually been seventeen, Cloud was sure he wouldn't have caught the slight reaction, but countless years been spent fighting Sephiroth, trying to figure out what the man would do and intercept it. This had given Cloud the ability to somewhat read the older man. The true answer to Zack's question, of course, was much more complicated than the one he had given, but there was no need for details. Images of sneering neighbors, enraged family members, and scared children rushed through Cloud's mind. No, there wasn't a need for specifics. Sephiroth was nowhere near gullible enough to believe and accept Cloud's story for what it was and the blonde didn't expect him to. The General wouldn't be getting a straight story any time soon though, not if Cloud could help it.

Sephiroth nodded but it was obvious that the matter was not yet closed. "You'll be taking the exams on Friday. Only SOLDIERS, Turks, and a few of the more capable cadets will be attending." Cloud's eyes narrowed. Today was Wednesday; General Sephiroth had cut the time to prepare down by nearly three days.

Zack seemed to have noticed this too as he exclaimed, "I thought you said he got five days to prepare!?" Ah, now that was the Zack Cloud knew. He nearly smiled as he fully realized that Zack was defending him.

"I said _approximately_ five days, Zackary. And there will always be consequences for lying: a day and a half for what was said in the interrogation room and a day and a half for just now. I think that's fair, don't you, Cadet Strife?" Sephiroth pierced Cloud with an almost smug gaze. He was expecting Cloud to break under the pressure of being found out, much like Trent had only the day before. It's too bad that Cloud had no choice but to disappoint him.

"I think it's quite fair, Sir. Especially considering to whom I have lied. I do not, however, intend to reveal what was left unsaid to you simply because I was caught. Feel free to try, though." It was respectful defiance and Cloud knew it. "So I should expect to see you in two days when I pass your exam, correct?" Cloud watched Zack gawp at him from his peripheral vision, but Sephiroth merely quirked his lips. They both, Cloud and Sephiroth, saw this conversation for what it really was: a challenge, a bet. If Cloud failed the exam, he would have to explain some things to the General. If he passed than the General would never question him on his lies again, at least not those particular lies. The stakes were high for the blue eyed cadet, but that was exactly how he liked it.

************

Sephiroth stared at the blonde, when was the last time he had faced such an enigmatic figure? He wasn't sure he ever had. Strife had just deliberately upped the challenge of the SOLDIER exams, and even added stakes, stakes which Sephiroth was sure he would win. Though Strife was the picture of innocence, he couldn't make it through the exam, not alone. Zack would have had problems doing it alone when he had first joined SOLDIER, Cadet Strife didn't stand a chance. Soon, the blonde would be forced to learn his limitations, so soon. And yet it still managed to be a stimulating experience, speaking to Strife. The young blonde contradicted everything his image put forth and it excited Sephiroth. This was just the challenge he had been looking for, and it explained why his body had reacted so violently to seeing the boy smile the other day. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sephiroth had recognized that Cloud would be more interesting than most and his body had interpreted that as sexual attraction. A quick bout of intercourse had solved that problem and for that, Sephiroth was glad. He would have to find someone else tonight, bathrooms just weren't his style. A beautiful man had just been promoted to Second Class SOLDIER, perhaps Sephiroth would take him.

"What are we still here for, Spike?! We've got to get you ready!" With that, Zack jumped up and drug Cloud out of the room, yelling goodbye over his shoulder. Sephiroth had the distinct feeling that Zack had only been able to do that because Cloud had let him. Yes, this would definitely be interesting.

*************

"Shouldn't I get back to class?" Zack couldn't believe his chocobo would ask such a question. He stood up to Sephiroth like it was nothing and was scared of _cutting class_? It looked like Cloud really needed to get his priorities straight. Oh well, they would have time for that later. Zack didn't care what the General said; Cloud was way too skinny to be in shape. Leading his chocobo to the track, Zack began drilling him on how to keep his breath in check, informing the blonde that they were going to complete two hundred laps before lunch. He didn't actually plan on it because it was damn near impossible for a non-enhanced person to do such a thing, but Zack wanted to see him try. Besides, maybe Spike could do it, considering the fact that he was at least half chocobo and chocobos could run for nearly forever if they wanted to.

What surprised Zack was just how amiable the smaller male was. Cloud listened intently to all of Zack's stories, as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world while they ran. He told Cloud about his days in the academy, the many missions he went on, the first time he met the General, well, Zack told Cloud a lot of things about Sephiroth. He told Cloud about befriending the cold-hearted man, what little quirks Zack had figured out, like where he always tapped his pen against his desk when he was reading, and everything else that Zack could think of. After that, Zack tried to get Cloud to tell him some things. Though the information was scarce, Zack treasured every word of it. He found out that Cloud cooked when he was stressed, liked swords better than guns and other little odds and ends that meant almost nothing. To Zack though, it was a well of information. Cloud was such a closed off person that anything was amazing.

Zack's eyes widened as he realized just how fast they were going. He was at nearly full, mako enhanced speed, and Cloud was keeping up. _Easily_. It should have been impossible, physically _impossible_. Either way it was astounding, and he couldn't stop the grin that broke out on his face. Maybe the chocobo could do it. The only thing that stood in his way was…Sephiroth's devious smirk passed through Zack's mind and, well, Zack was sure that Cloud would come close to becoming a SOLDIER. "Just not close enough," the vindictive voice in his mind whispered, "no one can beat Sephiroth." Zack hoped he was proven wrong.

*************

Thought ran amuck in Cloud's mind as he headed towards the barracks. His session with Zack had proved that his mako had traveled back with him. No, a much more powerful mako had travelled with him. Cloud could barely feel it in his veins, but it was definitely there. It was stronger than what Hojo's experiments had done, and Cloud wondered if he still had a wing. He sure as Hell hoped not. Fenrir was all Cloud needed for transportation. From thereon, Cloud's thoughts ranged from the exams to what he would have for breakfast the next day as he stared at the bottom of the bunk above him. Thoughts came and went as he waited patiently for sleep to take him. It never would.

Cloud walked onto the field on Friday afternoon, already having breezed through the written exams. Every SOLDIER and Turk not on a mission was watching him along with three cadets. Out of the cadets, the most recognizable one was Reno. An early exam had never happened before, so it was understandable, but did they really have to make so much noise? No one saw anything special about him, that much was certain. They didn't understand how he had attracted the attention of such powerful men and it bugged them, if their jeers were anything to go by. It didn't much bother Cloud, as he was used to it by now, but they were getting increasingly childish. Even without mako enhancements he could hear the jealous SOLDIER's shouts of contempt, and feel the observant glares from a few Turks. Neither Zack nor Sephiroth had arrived yet, and Cloud was having quickly becoming bored. Only half-way listening to the annoying taunts, Cloud began to stretch.

"He's a hottie, but that's about it." A gruff voice complained.

"Yeah, but he's not really my type…" This time it was a young, light voice which spoke. Female.

"Well _I'd_ tap that!" It was a high, excited voice.

"Forget tapping, I'd hit that so hard he wouldn't walk for days!" Smug, that was the only way to describe the voice.

"Sounds like a plan to me, but he'd probably be up after just a while, just think about how many cadets have probably gone through him already." It was the gruff voice again. Cloud watched out of the corner of his eyes to see who all was speaking.

"What's it matter? Sex is sex." It was the high voice. A man in his mid-thirties, dark red hair, happy brown eyes, it was Fredrick Galloway, Third Class. He died in an explosion last life. Of course, things were changing rapidly from how he remembered them, so perhaps he would live this time.

"Well, I like mine tight. It's just not as satisfying when they're loose." The gruff one was speaking now. Light, auburn hair cut to the scalp covered an egg-shaped head with beady turquoise eyes staring at Cloud disapprovingly. Skyler Frost, another Third Class. Cloud wasn't sure how his life ended.

"You guys are pigs. I'm sure the General has a reason for picking him out…" A light voice rang out doubtfully. It was the girl this time, Chrystal Sarmse, Second Class. If Cloud remembered correctly, it was the General himself that killed her.

"Yeah, yeah. We've heard it before. My point is, he's completely and totally, 100% fuckable. It's no big secret how he got this early exam." There went the smug voice. Shaggy brown hair and dark orange eyes. That had to be Damon Hart, First Class. His demise came from under-estimating his opponent; big surprise. "Hey, Cadets! How'd blondie over there do in class?" Cloud finished his exercises boredly. What else could he do?

James Fulkerson, a buff, bald Cadet responded first. "Not very well, he failed every class from what I heard."

"Yeah! Sucked at everything! He's in my Materia class, I should know." That was Cassandra Armang. She had never been particularly fond of Cloud.

A smirk graced Hart's face. "That settles it! He fucked his way to the top!" A few laughs and comments of agreement followed the First's statement.

"Are you sure? The General doesn't seem like one to take bribes, even one as delectable as that." Galloway jabbed his finger in the direction of Cloud, who was now punching at thin air.

"Naw, not the General, I'm talking about his Second in Command. Fair probably used his friendship against our good General to get him to let his little lover take the test. I always thought he was just a bit too stupid to be in such a high position. Looks like the fucker'll finally get what's coming to him once this kid fails." Cloud froze; they could insult him all they want, but it'd be in their best interest to keep Zack out of it. Keeping his expression controlled, Cloud decided to teach Hart a little lesson. Maybe it would save his life some day.

Turning to his audience, Cloud raised his voice and said, "Would you mind sparring with me for a bit? It's hard to warm up alone." Hart's grin nearly split his face.

"Sure! But I won't go easy on you!" His voice echoed as he jogged over.

"I don't expect you to." Cloud could hear everyone placing bets on who they thought would win. The problem was, no one wanted to bet on Cloud. To humor them, Cloud pulled out a hundred gil. "Put this on me, will you?" Reno ran over and did just that, collecting Hart's money at the same time. Once everything had settled down, Hart attacked at full speed. Only Cloud noticed the two men coming down to the field.

*************

Reno stared at Cloud as he blocked an attack that was almost too fast for him to see. The blonde was as agile as a cat as he did a front flip over The First's shoulder, kicking the man in the back at the same time. Hart stumbled and Reno was suddenly glad that he hadn't made a bet. A left hook, a right kick, Hart threw every move known to man at Cloud and Cloud just dodged away. It looked almost like a dance. Reno sat down, suddenly afraid that he was going to get hard. Strife was downright _graceful_. Suddenly, the flow of things did a three-sixty and Hart was on defense, not that it did him much good. It was almost as if Cloud knew what Damon was going to do before Damon did, and that's when Reno noticed it. Cloud's arm moved to block a punch before Hart threw it. Cloud _did _know what Hart was going to do before he did. Sure enough, Hart threw a punch into Cloud's waiting hand. Hart didn't stand a chance.

This revelation excited Reno, not only mentally but physically as well. Cloud was smart. Cloud was, looking at how Hart flinched when hit, strong. Cloud was beautiful. Cloud was perfect. Cloud would be his. The blonde was the challenge of challenges, and Reno would be the victor. He could already see blue eyes staring hazily up at him as he brought the man to completion. Yes, Cloud would belong to him.

**************

Sephiroth looked at Strife; something was off with the male's movements. They weren't right somehow. Sure, they were perfectly executed; every movement was a new part in an intricate dance that only Cloud knew the steps to, leaving the other man, First Class Hart, if his memory served him correctly, desperately trying to keep up. It was entrancing. The General was fairly sure that the young red-head which had so quickly gotten Zackary's disapproval was thinking something along the same lines. In fact, he knew that their thoughts had to be at least somewhat alike as he saw the younger male discreetly slide a hand over his crotch area. Watching Cadet Strife fight was quite a turn on.

The urge to smirk flew through Sephiroth's mind before being dismissed. Hart had obviously under-estimated the blonde Cadet. But the Zack-proclaimed chocobo hadn't so much as broken a sweat by the time he pinned Hart to the ground; his hand curled lightly enough not to bruise but hard enough to be threatening around Hart's throat. He had won. The shock was evident on nearly everyone's faces, everyone's except for Zackary's, the red head's, and obviously his own that is. Only two Turks had shown, and they clearly hadn't expected such an outcome. Numerous orbs glued themselves to Strife's form as he stood up, leaving the newly defeated SOLDIER on the ground. The blonde's voice was soft, as always, when he spoke.

"Thank you for the spar, perhaps we'll fight for real next time. I'm much better with a sword than without." It was a well placed taunt. Telling everyone that the little fight had been little more than child's play to him, and Sephiroth realized what had been off. Strife had been holding back. Faintly, he wondered what, _exactly_, the extent of Strife's abilities was. Off handedly, the General noticed the discreet hand of Reno quicken its pace. It wasn't fast enough for anyone to really notice, but he might as well have taken off his pants and started moaning to Sephiroth. Strangely enough, Sephiroth found himself sharing Zack's opinion of the red-headed cadet, soon to be Turk if Rude had anything to say about it. The bald man had been watching the cadet for a while now and he was going to be recruited just before the exams. The more Sephiroth thought about it, the more confused he became. Why didn't he like the not yet Turk? Brushing it off as intuition when no straight answer came to him, Sephiroth returned his attentions to Cloud. It was time for the exam and, no matter how easily he beat SOLDIER Hart, the General couldn't bring himself to believe that he would pass; Sephiroth designed it himself.


	6. Chapter Six

_**Author's Note: **__ I'm sorry this took so long. We lost internet for a long while but it's extra long, so forgive me, m'kay? I'm going to try and mix Zack's two personalities together. Sorry for not doing so in the first place. Please bare with Reno, it's not his fault, I wrote him that way. His obsession with Cloud will become an important part of the story. Thank you again for the reviews! They uplift my spirit!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I gain full authority over Final Fantasy VII two weeks from never. _

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. _

Cloud looked between the forest in front of him and the people behind him. Sephiroth had yet to reveal his task. Blue eyes roamed over a few of the people, mainly Hart who was glaring at him balefully; hoping to get another shot at the blonde. Cloud had mixed emotions when it came to the man. First off, Cloud was relieved to find out that Damon had only barely managed to become a First mere days ago, showing that not all Firsts were so weak. On the other hand, Cloud was disappointed that he had managed to become a First at all. The man was pathetic. Bored musings were interrupted by Sephiroth stepping out of the crowd, showing that he was ready to begin.

"As some of you may have noticed, we are at the entrance of the Mako Forest. Second Classes navigate their way through here to become Firsts; they have two days to do so. It is a formidable test for a Second to take because of the dangerous circumstances inside. Small pools of mako can be found in certain parts of the forest, they are highly toxic and to be avoided at all costs. Monsters can also be found in the forest, it would be wise to avoid them before finding your weapon which is hidden deep within the forest. The main difference in your tasks is that while Seconds have two days to make it through, you will have a mere twelve hours. Are there any questions?" When Cloud gestured negatively, Sephiroth continued. "You may select one person to accompany you on this journey, but they must be standing in this clearing, and once you say their name, you can choose no one else."

Cloud looked at everyone. Zack was the obvious first choice, but Cloud didn't want to give too much away just yet. The warm-ups should be enough to ward off any SOLDIER that may decide to approach him, besides Zack, after he passes; that was crucial. No one wanted to hang out with the prodigies, not at the risk of being out shone and overlooked by the General. So he had essentially provided himself some safety by putting Hart into his place. It wouldn't last for very long, Cloud was naïve enough to believe it would. He would tell them everything when it became a necessity, but Cloud wasn't ready to do that just yet.

"I choose you, General Sephiroth, to come with me into the Mako Forest." Cloud pinned the General with his gaze, and the game was on once more.

***************

Sephiroth knew immediately what Cadet Strife was getting at. If he went, the blonde would either get a free trip to the other side or ruin the General's reputation by not getting through at all, depending on whether Sephiroth actually helped him or not. Of course, he could always just tell Strife to choose someone else, but that hadn't been the deal. Only one other option presented itself, and that was to force Strife in alone. Seeming like the best option, Sephiroth did just that.

"I'm afraid I wasn't one of the options. It looks as if you'll be entering on your own." Whatever sureties the General had about sending Strife in alone vanished as the boy's lips twitched upward ever so slightly. The blonde had wanted him to say that from the beginning and Sephiroth had fallen right into his trap. He mentally chalked one up for the cadet, reminding himself to be more wary next time. With no further options but to press on, Sephiroth continued, "Your time starts now." Cloud entered the forest without looking back.

**************

Reno guessed that three hours had passed since he had decided to follow Blondie into the forest, judging by the position of the sun. He knew he shouldn't have, but he couldn't help it! This could answer a lot of questions about the blonde! His only problem: he had lost Cloud around an hour or so ago. Things had been going just fine until had gone direction crazy, twisting and turning in search of the stupid hidden weapon. Reno was sure that he had found the stupid thing, but he had lost Reno in the process. It didn't matter all that much that he was lost, that's what the flare gun in his pocket was there for; he just didn't like the fact that Cloud was out there somewhere, revealing all of his deepest, darkest secrets to nothing but the trees, and Reno was missing it. A picture of what Reno's mind thought Cloud would look like while pleasuring himself went through the red-head's mind and he upped his pace.

As Reno raced through the trees, he came to a realization: his small intrigue with Cloud was quickly growing into an obsession. Somehow, the thought wasn't as unsettling as it should have been. Sure, Cloud didn't pay very much attention to him, okay, the blonde usually disregarded him completely, but that only served to make him all the more interesting. After all, who wouldn't want to be friends with _Reno_? No one, that's who. As Reno conjured up the memory of what Cloud had looked like in the shower, he smiled. No, being obsessed wasn't half bad at all. Seeing a flash of yellow had the soon-to-be-Turk rushing forward. And doubling back. There was a huge…_thing_ in front of Cloud. It was the purest of ivory, larger than six Clouds, and had jagged tentacles sticking out from under it. A single slit marred the surface of the beast, slanting at an awkward angle before opening to reveal a grotesque excuse for an eye; sunken back and moving about wildly; it seemed to see nothing and everything all at once. Rotted flesh crawled out of the gaping tear-duct only to get jerked back into the socket just before it would blink. It made Reno want to hurl, beautiful and horrible at the same time.

Turning his attention away from the…whatever it was, Reno watched Cloud gracefully side-step one of the tendrils. His blonde was even more agile now than in his battle with Hart. It was an entrancing sight, Cloud's dance with the monster. He was slashing at the thing confidently, as if he had faced something of the sort before. The beast didn't manage a single hit on Cloud, which surprised Reno. By all means, Cloud should be dead by now; he was just a cadet! With the elegance of General Sephiroth himself, Cloud plunged his blade into the thing's eye. It gave a high pitched wail before falling over. The blonde didn't stop there though; he began methodically chopping away at the tentacles which sprawled around it. Deeming things safe, Reno sauntered out looking for all the world as if he had just defeated the beast instead of Cloud.

"Yo, Blondie! Those're some nice moves you got there!" Reno yelled jovially, freezing Cloud mid-swing. As if sensing its attacker's hesitation, the tendril swept out around Cloud's ankle, digging its barbs into soft flesh. A last ditch effort to survive, Reno supposed numbly. Blue eyes only had time to widen before the small body was picked up and thrown unceremoniously against a wall of rock. Cloud mouth opened in a silent scream before gravity caught up with the blonde's body and he dropped into a pool of bright green mako. Reno rushed over to the ditch full of neon liquid, not noticing the monster give a last, dying twitch before joining the Lifestream once more. If it weren't for his own survival instincts, he would have jumped in after Cloud. He couldn't bring himself to do such a thing once his mind caught up with him though. Wild mako was poisonous; mutated people! The risk was too much. As the water like substance failed to move, Reno began to fidget. It wasn't supposed to happen like this! Cloud was supposed to have told him all of those secrets that he longed to hear before allowing the red-haired male to fuck him against a tree; not drown! Drawing the only logical conclusion that his distressed mind could come up with, Reno shot his flare gun into the air.

***********

Cloud's limbs felt like cement as the familiar weight of mako settled on his body. It rushed into his mouth, down his esophagus; filling his lungs with the thick liquid. Pain flooded Cloud's system, as if something were pulling his bones right out of his body. The ache was unbearable, and though his mind screamed that he had somehow ended up in Hojo's lab once more; held in the large green cylinder of mako, forever to be experimented on. His body, however, knew that this pain far exceeded anything that the mad scientist had ever caused. The disappeared as abruptly as it had come. In the back of his mind, Cloud registered the fact that his lungs were no longer full of mako and his body compulsively moved to take a breath. It didn't work as the horridly thick liquid forced itself down his throat again, drowning him again before being replaced by the same, excruciating pain, stopping, and repeating. His mind soon became dead to it all, forcing Cloud into the black oblivion known as sleep.

**************

Sephiroth looked at the green pond with light disdain. Out of every deadly obstacle in the forest to die by, Cadet Strife had drowned. Emerald eyes narrowed slightly in the red-headed cadet's direction; it was _his _fault after all. If the cadet's story was anything to go by then if he hadn't followed Strife, the blonde wouldn't have gotten distracted and been tossed off by the monstrous being laying dead beside the General. His eyes shifted slightly to the right to examine the thing. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before; large and white with jagged tendrils lying around the carcass. Swift, clean cuts had been made to most of them and Strife's sword lay abandoned next to the third to last one. The kill looked nearly methodical as no wound had been made that didn't hit a critical organ, almost as if he had known where to strike. No, there wasn't an almost about it, the blonde had obviously known what he had been doing. Sephiroth could see calculating blue orbs in front of him, testing him, silently asking how far he could push before things would come crashing down.

An insignificant pang appeared in the war hero's chest at that thought, which Sephiroth easily brushed off as losing such a challenging opponent; Strife would have been brilliant. Another, lesser pain resided in the General's conscience, an emotion that Sephiroth didn't know very well: guilt. Zackary had been very attached to the young blonde, and he was sure that the First would be torn up by the death for a while. Though Sephiroth wasn't exactly _happy _with how the cadet had died, it wouldn't deter him from work. He would, of course, give Zackary the week off, but that was about it. His Second-in-Command would have to get over it by then, which Sephiroth believed to be reasonable considering the First had actually only actually spoken to the cadet a handful of times. Continuing to ignore the strange feelings drifting through his conscience, Sephiroth walked over to examine the monster which had killed Strife.

**************

Zack stared unseeingly at the catastrophic green liquid. Cloud id dead. _Cloud _is dead. Cloud is _dead_. His mind simply couldn't wrap itself around that fact. He had so many things left to teach his chocobo: which carrots taste the best, how to become friends with Sephiroth, how to act in SOLDIER… The ebony-haired man's thoughts trailed off, SOLDIER was the reason he was dead in the first place. Mako violet eyes strayed to ruffled red hair. No, this was Reno's fault. From what the cadet had said, Cloud had been doing perfectly fine until the child had distracted him. In the back of his mind, Zack knew that Reno hadn't meant for this to happen; that it had been an accident, but that didn't change the fact that his small, golden, chocobo was _dead_. Ever since his first time seeing the blonde Zack had felt an overwhelming urge to protect him. Cloud was the younger brother Zack never had, sweet and caring but unwilling to show it. The bond which Zack had formed with Cloud had probably solidified when Cloud had given him a single, emotion filled glance, believing that Zack's attentions were elsewhere.

It had been filled with admiration, brotherly love, guilt and self hatred. A few other emotions had flown through the blue orbs that Zack hadn't had time to identify before the chocobo had slipped his mask back into place, but what he had seen was enough. Zack decided then that Cloud needed Sephiroth just as much as, if not more than, Sephiroth needed Cloud. Reno had ruined that. In an almost unrealistic bout of anger, Zack marched towards Reno, not noticing how the mako pool was slightly less full than before; picking him up by the scruff of his shirt, Zack slammed the younger man against a tree.

"Why?! Why did you follow him?!" Zack's usually bright voice was dark with anger. "It's your fault he's dead! You couldn't just listen to instructions and stay behind like a good little cadet, could you?!" Zack's voice was no longer a yell, but it was not yet a whisper and it sent a chill up Reno's spine. Everything had stopped around them as furious eyes of amethyst stared into fear-filled teal. When Reno failed to answer, Zack's rage proceeded to rise. He pulled the terrified male towards him one-handedly before slamming him back against the tree. "Could you?!"

"I- I jus- I didn't- I didn't mean to- I," His words were stuttered frantically and came to an immediate halt when a strong, silent hand placed itself on Zack's shoulder. Sephiroth had decided to step in, sending a wordless message to his Second-in-Command. Reno wasn't worth the trouble. As said boy lost control of his bladder, Zack let a disgusted snarl mar his features and dropped the red-head; deciding that his General was correct, as usual. Hand still on his shoulder, Lieutenant Fair allowed his General to lead him out of the woods, back to the place where Cloud would have met them.

*************

Rude watched the scene apathetically. He didn't expect the red-haired child to be able to beat the First Class, but such a blatant show of dread was unacceptable. What did the boy expect to do when a stronger opponent came along with a killing intent? The dark-skinned, bald man's lips twitched downwards for a split second, his black shades covering any other emotion that his eyes may have shown. And the pre-SOLDIER had even soiled himself out of terror; it was pathetic. Not to mention the fact that Cadet Reno had know that he was being scouted, being watched. If the young male couldn't hold his own under pressure, which, in a more serious situation, could mean life or death. As far as Rude could tell, the most that Reno would ever accomplish would be Second Class, a low First if he was lucky. He wouldn't, however, survive within the Turks. Decision made, Rude turned impassively and began to walk away, already planning out Reno's letter of denial.

***************

Cloud opened his eyes blearily. He lay where he had been thrown hours ago, with only one major difference: there was no mako. Blue eyes roamed over his hands; not feeling any different. How was he still alive? Cloud remembered drowning, multiple times; having woken up mere moments after passing out, Cloud had relived the experience so many times that it was like an eternal circle of physical and psychological pain. His body trembled as realization struck; a few pieces of the puzzle known as his life fitting themselves together: the reason he wasn't dead, why his mako felt lighter, the horrible pain; it all made sense now! Somehow, on his way into the past, the Planet had modified his body; made him into a tool for purifying mako back to its original state, the state in which the Planet could use it. Gaia had made him into a MACHINE: a creature whose sole purpose is to help heal the planet.

Something didn't make sense though. Before, when Aeris had first found out about Zack's death, she had lashed out at Cloud. In a fit of depression she had blamed it all on Cloud; it had only lasted for a few days before she realized that there was nothing he could have done, but the damage was done by then. Cloud hadn't forgive himself for not saving Zack, and Aeris's words at such a critical time had made sure that he never would. She had called him a WEAPON, saying that Gaia herself referred to him as such. The words had hurt the blonde more than anything anyone else could have said as WAEPONs were nothing but soulless beings bent on fighting off any and all threats to Gaia. They didn't have emotions, thoughts, or even nerves. Pain wasn't a factor and only nearly completely disassembling them would bring them to a halt. They were usually called FREAKs by Slum-goers. In Cloud's mind, no matter how much it hurt, it fit. He was nothing but a WEAPON. Well, that used to be the case; he couldn't be sure what category he fell under now.

Watching as the moon settled at its peak in the sky, Cloud smiled. However small the smile had been, however little a time it had lasted, it had been there. For a category that Cloud would always happily fall under was SOLDIER, and that, he still had a chance to do. Without hesitation, face a blank mask once more, Cloud began to work the rest of the way through the jungle-like area. Even with a badly injured ankle, no weapon, and his body aching from purifying so much mako, Cloud breezed through anything that dared attack him. No more MONSTERs came out, which led Cloud to again wonder how that one had existed in the first place. Gaia wouldn't begin to create MONSTERs for He reached the cabin which sat on the outskirts of a steep cliff just as dawn began to break. Glancing at the small clock positioned just above the wooden door, Cloud pushed back another small smile; silently thanking Gaia for what good grace she had decided to give him. For all that she took away, she did give things in return, eventually.

Unable to abandon his manners even in such a situation, Cloud knocked. The door swung open and Zack appeared on the other side. The dark-haired male opened his mouth to say something before his mind seemed to catch up with his body.

"Spike!" Cloud was swept up into a hug faster than he could blink. Sephiroth, probably hearing Zack's shout, came to stand behind his Second-in-Command. Blue eyes locked onto green and Cloud said the first thing that came into his mind.

"Eleven hours, fifty-seven minutes and twenty-three seconds. I passed." This statement only seemed to make Zack happier as the physically older man's grip tightened and lifted Cloud about a foot into the air.

"I thought you were dead! Oh Gaia, how are you not dead?! Not that I'm complaining but we saw where you hit the rock and that Reno kid said you didn't come back up and-" Cloud reluctantly broke his staring match with the General to stop Zack's ramblings. It appeared that there was no need to do so when another, deeper voice cut in. It was a voice that Cloud recognized so intimately that hearing it again made him want to cry. _Tseng_.

"As touching as this scene is, I have something which needs discussing, General." His voice was smooth, controlled, and commanding. Almost afraid that Tseng would disappear if he looked, Cloud turned slowly. The Turk leader was almost exactly as Cloud remembered him. A fine black suit with a white shirt fitted perfectly to his well toned body. Chocolate brown eyes gazed at the three men impassively, and that led to the major difference between his memory and the real Tseng: his hair. Once long locks of brown hair had been cut into a windswept style which somehow managed to look elegant. Somehow, it suited the man. Seeing Tseng again affected Cloud even more violently than his meeting with Zack, probably because he was a fresher memory than the First Class. Zack was the first to react.

"Come on inside, Sephiroth'll make tea!" Zack's voice was impossibly bright as he released Cloud from only one of his arms, ignoring Sephiroth's cold look completely and leading them inside.

"So, this is the boy that General Sephiroth is so interested in… I take it he passed?" Brown orbs gazed at Cloud with slight curiosity and Cloud couldn't find it in himself to look away. He remembered how those same eyes had shown with warmth and compassion, how that same body had helped him up when he could no longer do it himself. The memory that stood out the most was Tseng's death. Tseng had been captured, captured by people who wanted Cloud dead. It was because Cloud hadn't found Tseng soon enough that he had died. Chocolate orbs had lost their light in a dank, dark basement by a whip. He had bled to death with no one by his side, and it was all Cloud's fault.

"Yep! And he even died in the process! Isn't that right, you funny little chocobo, you? I still haven't figured out how you did that." Zack's exuberance was nearly contagious as Cloud merely shook his head. Tseng looked at Cloud suspiciously. People didn't just come back to life, and the blonde was definitely alive. He was most likely coming to the conclusion that Cloud had faked his death. After all, that's the conclusion Cloud would have come to.

"I did die, and I will later explain how I lived, but for now you need to go get some hot, soapy water, a rag, and a roll of bandages." Cloud kept his voice flat as he said this, watching as Zack finally noticed his ankle.

"Shit! Sorry about that Spike! I'll go…" Seeing that they got what he was trying to say, Zack rushed off to retrieve the desired items, leaving Cloud and Tseng alone in the living room. Cloud lowered himself into the chair and put on a façade of nonchalance while waiting for Zack and Sephiroth to return. He didn't have to wait long. The two men arrived almost simultaneously and Cloud supposed if he were anyone else, he would be scared out of his wits. Three of the most powerful men on the Planet were standing in the same room with him; it was enough to frighten most. Ignoring the looks he was receiving, Cloud took off his boot and rolled up his left pants-leg, not so much as flinching when the severe wound entered the sterilized, steaming, water. Almost immediately the cloudy water turned to a mucky, reddish color. He calmly picked up the rag and began rubbing the injured area. It was healing rather quickly but one could never be too careful. Two strong hands grabbed his own.

"Spike, you don't have to be all harsh on yourself just because we're in here. It's alright to flinch, cry. We won't judge! You're just a cadet." Zack's voice was gentle, understanding.

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?" Cloud's voice was as blank as his face and Sephiroth and Tseng watched with minute curiosity. They had obviously found his behavior strange.

"You don't need to ask, Spike. Just say what's on your mind, okay?" Concern didn't just lace the SOLDIER's words, it dripped off of them. Cloud cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but what the Hell are you going on about? I am neither holding back signs of pain for your sakes nor 'being harsh' on myself. If I wanted to cry, I would have done so. This is merely a grade-D wound and it should be healed by noon, if not sooner. Also, as amazing as you three are, none of you are held on a pedestal in my book." Cloud's explanation was point blank as he began expertly wrapping the injury.

*************

Zack stared. And stared. And stared. "That 'grade-D wound' is enough to send most people crying home to their mother! And what, precisely, do you consider a grade-_A _wound, huh!? That's _ridiculous_! Just because you drowned and lived doesn't make you immortal…I think. How did you do that anyway?" Lieutenant Fair was fuming with worry and confusion. His chocobo was being an idiot, and what he said next had Zack's brain crashing to a fiery stop.

"I'm not very fond of my mother, and find no reason to cry to her. A grade-A wound would be life threatening and possibly infected. Severed limbs sometimes fall under grade-A, but usually sway to grade-B. It is not ridiculous, it is logic. Also, the explanation of my survival will be left to another date, if you don't mind." It almost sounded as if Cloud were explaining why the air was breathable.

"Did you hit your head before drowning, by any chance?" Sephiroth's cold voice cut in as he sat a hot cup of tea in front of the blonde.

"I did not. Seeing as we will be holding this conversation for a while longer, would you enjoy telling us your business and getting things over with?" This question was directed at Tseng, and Zack slowly rose from his place on his knees; sitting beside Cloud numbly. What could he have said that that?

*************

Cloud watched as Tseng moved curious eyes from his form and focused on Sephiroth; taking a sip of his tea.

"I have been assigned a mission to a small town in a the mountains called Nibelheim. Just outside of this town lies ShinRa Mansion, where I am to retrieve a coffin with a 'valued specimen' inside." Cloud nearly choked on his tea. _Vincent_…

"You're leaving something out. You're not one to just drop by for a chat." Sephiroth was as observant as ever while Cloud hardly noticed Zack's hard stare, trying to figure out what was wrong with his blonde.

"Hojo assigned this specifically to the most capable, non-SOLDIER person that he could find." And Cloud's world came crashing down around him. Hojo wanted Vincent again. Who knew what the mad man had planned for the demonic hybrid? Nothing good, he was sure. Cloud barely noticed the cup of steaming liquid slip from his fingers and crash to the floor. Three pairs of eyes turned to him. It was neither the time nor the place to explain his position, but he had to do something. Judging by the Turk's expression, it was down to two choices. Either sacrifice Vincent to Hojo or lose what little time he had to figure out his predicament. Thinking back to Vincent's few, but meaningful smiles, back to the one person who hadn't died in the end, Cloud made his choice.

"You won't give the coffin to Hojo." It was a command given in a hard tone that hadn't been used since Cloud had led AVALANCHE. Tseng's eyes widened slightly and blue orbs narrowed. "Yes, that was an order. Yes, it benefits both of us. Yes, I realize that I am by far overstepping my rank. No, you will not object to it. Yes, I will answer a few of your questions." Cloud regarded Tseng with cold eyes. It would all come down to this.

"What makes you think I'll listen to you?" And the banter began.

"Because of who resides in the coffin."

"Who, pray tell, would that be?"

"One of your own. A Turk that went missing twenty-seven years ago. The reason you joined the Turks in the first place." Cloud's voice was level and Tseng's voice joined him to say the name.

"_Vincent Valentine_." Tseng looked almost stunned but quickly masked it.

"And how would you know this?" Tseng's voice was as calm as ever, but his eyes were rigid. He was on guard now; wary of what Cloud had to say. Good.

"I will explain that at a later date, after you've brought Vincent to a secure meeting location."

"When would this meeting time be?" Tseng's voice was gaining a slight edge. He never had liked being ordered around by someone who hadn't gained his respect.

"In little less than a week. I'll tell you how to get to said meeting place and how you should go about releasing Vincent as well as fooling Hojo once I have your cooperation guaranteed."

"And how do you know that I won't simply double cross you? How do you know that I won't tell you I plan on helping you and simply hand the man over to the Professor?"

"A promise, you'll break. If I get your word, you'll die before betraying me." It was a statement that everyone in the room knew to be true.

"And if I don't give you my word?" Tseng's fist flew past his head, brush golden locks when Cloud made no move to dodge. "What would you do then?" And still, Tseng's voice held the pretense of a nice, friendly chat. Cloud would have none of that. With such speed that Cloud knew Sephiroth barely caught, Cloud's hands wrapped around the taught wrist of Tseng and propelled him upwards, parallel to the wall. Using unseen momentum, Cloud forced himself over Tseng's head, not yet letting go of the appendage and therefore forcing Tseng's body to follow his movement; slamming his body onto the hard floor in front of a crouching Cloud. Yet the blonde wasn't finished. In a quick movement Cloud had let go of Tseng with his left hand, pulled him forward with his right, and sent a hard punch into the Turk leader's stomach. The hit had Tseng gasping for breath and Cloud took advantage of that; twisting Tseng's arm behind the man's back at an awkward angle, pushing his foot into Tseng's lower back before leaning down to whisper something into his ear. This all happened in under a minute, and no matter how quiet Cloud had whispered his words, he knew that enhanced hearing had allowed the other two men to know what he had said.

"I'll kill you." Cloud wasn't sure whether he meant it or not, if he could actually bring himself to kill his once best friend, but he knew that he sounded like he did and that was all that mattered. After those words were spoken, Cloud let him go and sat beside Zack like nothing had ever happened, leisurely picking up the remains of his cup, cleaning up the spill with his bloody rag. No one else dared move, even Zack was tensed up beside him with an incredulous look sitting on his face. Sephiroth looked more suspicious than anything, at least, as suspicious as Sephiroth could look. Once his thoughts were back in order, Tseng stood; something new shining in his eyes. Apprehension. It didn't suit Tseng very well, and Cloud hated to have been the one that caused it, but it was necessary. Besides, it lay in most people's eyes in the future. And when it wasn't present unconcealed fear would shine through. Not a day had passed that Cloud didn't see those emotions, the hundreds of eyes wondering if he would turn on them next, and who would stop him if he did. It had pained him, but he went on. After all, he was a monster in their eyes, and monsters were meant to be feared.

"Holy fuck, Spike!" Zack's loud exclamation seemed to snap Tseng out of whatever trance he was in and the strange emotion hid itself away from prying eyes, ignoring Zack's show of emotion at the same time.

"What would Professor Hojo want with him?" Following Cloud's lead, Tseng looked as if nothing had ever happened and Zack, seeing that he wasn't going to get a response any time soon, shut up.

"The Professor is a sick man. Vincent got too close to the truth and Hojo condemned him for it. Personally, it's not my story to tell. Perhaps he'll fill you in on the details someday. So do I have your cooperation or not?" Never one to beat around the bush, Cloud directed his question to everyone in the room. Zack was the first to answer.

"I'm in. Spike, I may not know you very well, but I know you're not a bad guy. Besides, who can resist such a cute face!?" Zack was grinning lightly, an unsure light in his eyes and Cloud nodded at him. Tseng went next.

"I give you my word that I will help you in any way I can." His answer was exactly what Cloud had expected, and with a nod in the refined man's direction it was all down to Sephiroth.

"I promise you nothing, but you have my allegiance for the moment. Just remember one thing: just as you will not hesitate to kill Tseng, I will not hesitate to kill you." Oh, Cloud knew he wouldn't hesitate, he knew that with every fiber of his being. A final nod was cast, sealing the deal.

"Tseng, you will travel to Nibelheim alone. Once you get there, you will rest for a day before travelling into ShinRa Mansion at dusk. On the bottom floor of the Mansion, twenty-seven paces to the right of the stairs, you will find a small hole in the floor. This is a trap door. Twelve coffins lay in this hidden room, open only the fourth one to the left. When you see Vincent, tell him, 'Ashes to ashes and dusk to dusk, I do what I do because I know I must. From the Once Was That Will Be.' Look him in the eyes when you say this, for while you have a slight chance of beating him when he first awakens, while he's weak, you won't stand a chance just a few hours after that. Do it his way or he'll rip you in half fast than I pinned you. Once you get his approval, wait forty feet north of the mansion's entrance for me to come get you. If you're not there by dawn than I'll retrieve both of you myself and it won't be pretty." Cloud finished with a leveled stare.

Zack gaped openly at the detailed instructions given, but Cloud wasn't yet finished. "While you're doing that, Zack and I will be travelling down to Sector 5 of the Slums to fetch a girl; Aeris."

"The Cetra." Tseng cut in. His voice made it a statement, but Cloud could easily see the question lurking behind it.

"Yes. We will collect her while Sephiroth sets up a mission for us under the guise that he, Zack, and I will be checking out the Nibelheim mako reactors. We will leave on Tuesday." Today was Sunday; plenty of time in Cloud's opinion.

"I'm to leave tomorrow and return the coffin to Hojo on Tuesday. How would I do that?" Tseng's voice was as flat as Cloud's.

"You're going to send his empty coffin back to Hojo; Vincent will show you how to reseal it. He'll have no choice but to believe someone had set him free beforehand." It must have seemed as if Cloud had the answer to everything and, thinking about it, he almost did.

"And how are you so sure that he won't believe I did it? I wouldn't be the one to deliver it to him and I _always_ do my own dirty work." Tseng seemed to think he had a point. How sad.

"I know this because you couldn't use a complex Materia to save your life. There's a reason you use guns, Tseng." Zack laughed at that and it brightened Cloud's day, if only just a little. "Also, Hojo has quite an ego; he'll chalk it up as even the great and powerful _Tseng _being scared of him. Besides we only need him to believe it for a little while." Tseng caught on quite suddenly.

"You want Vincent to rejoin the Turks." This time, there was no question.

"But then Hojo'll know that he has Vincent and come after him, won't he?" Zack sounded confused and Cloud couldn't resist a soft smile this time.

"That's the beauty of it: the Turks are a completely independent organization. If Hojo tries to get Vincent from them than-" Cloud was interrupted as Sephiroth caught on as well.

"Question will be raised. He wouldn't risk that." Sephiroth's voice was smooth and wise, like it had been his plan all along. Cloud could listen to the confident melody all day. The smile fell from his face. Where had that thought come from? Getting attached was not part of the plan; not part of the plan at all. No, Cloud thought himself an extremely selfish person and he didn't know if he would be able to kill Sephiroth after the silver-haired man lost it if he got attached. Resolve made, Cloud disregarded the unfamiliar fluttering in his stomach and nodded.

"Are there any more questions?" Cloud just wanted to get something to eat and to think over what few options he had left. Hiding his past was no longer an option, but how much should he reveal? Would they want to know that they died; how they died? How would they react when they found out that their deaths were all Cloud's fault? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. A small sigh escaped Cloud's lips. No, they deserved to know the truth. It was the least that he could do to thank them for sticking by him for so long; to warn them of what could happen if they did such a thing again. So lost in his thoughts, he barely heard Tseng's reply.

"No questions that I believe you'll answer." Ah, a typical Tseng answer. The irony of it all wasn't lost on Cloud. Once, he had looked to these men for guidance, and now he held all of the cards in his hand, simply waiting for a challenger to use them against.

"Then go. Get some rest and prepare yourself." A nod was Tseng's only response before he took his leave.

"I bet you're hungry. Do you want some soup? I can get you some soup. It tastes good, I promise. Don't worry, we didn't make it! You know what? I'll go get you some soup!" With that rambled string of words, Zack's warm body left Cloud's side. Watching the First Class move towards the kitchen, Cloud verbally stopped him.

"Ah…thank you, Zack. For everything." Cloud knew his voice sounded tired. Normally, Cloud wouldn't allow that to show, but Cloud knew that Zack would appreciate it more if he let himself be seen.

With the brightest, happiest smile that Cloud had ever seen tossed over his shoulder, Zack tossed back, "Any time, Spike," before leaving. It was just Sephiroth and him now. With reluctance Cloud didn't understand, he pulled his mask back up.

*************

Sephiroth refused to take his eyes off of the soon-to-be-Third-Class as the boy straitened his posture and concealed his emotions. He did so just after Zackary left. Clearly, there was something between the two men, and, for some reason, that thought made Sephiroth want to growl. He knew that it was only logical that Strife got on better with Zackary than him – his Second-in-Command had always had a way with drawing people in while Sephiroth continually pushed them away – but that didn't change the fact that he didn't like it. Strife was a puzzle that begged to be solved, and Sephiroth wanted to be the one to solve him. All he had to do was collect the pieces. Sephiroth was sure that many of his questions would be answered at dawn on Wednesday, but not all of them. For some reason, he had a never-ending amount of questions for the blonde. Sephiroth had the strangest need to know everything about the blonde. H

He wanted to know what Strife did in his spare time; his favorite color; who his first was. Sephiroth's eyes flashed at that one. Who had penetrated that lean body first? What luck man had made his light, airy voice crack first? Worse, what if a woman had done so? What chance would Sephiroth have if Strife liked females? And Sephiroth's mind went blank. Why would he want a chance? Sure, the blonde was a beauty, but did he want anything more than sex? Sephiroth pushed that thought to the back of his mind. Of course he didn't… Did he? Deciding that such thoughts weren't what he needed to deal with at the moment, Sephiroth focused on something else: Zackary coming back with an overly-large bowl of soup.

**************

Zack thought about everything and nothing at once while walking with Cloud to Sector 5. On one hand, Cloud had some kick-ass moves and Zack doubted that he would stand a chance against the blonde. On the other hand, Cloud was an adorable little chocobo, and Zack felt like it would be a crime not to protect him. And he had acted like a cute, mini-Sephiroth last night. All the plans that Cloud had spit out had Zack's head reeling. Just who was Cloud Strife? His first thought was that the newly-made Third Class was a mutated chocobo that had been owned by a secret agent who loved gathering information on everybody. Once Sephiroth had dismissed the idea with a cold, "No, Zackary, he isn't, nor will he ever be, a chocobo. Give up," Zack changed his perspective. Cloud himself was the secret agent. It was the only thing his tired mind could come up with.

"We're here," Cloud's soft voice cut into his musings. In front of them was a large, beautiful church; large beautiful doors. Cloud didn't knock before entering. Zack followed behind him in awe, though the pews were not in great shape, but he barely noticed that. All of Zack's attention was drawn to the front of the room. More specifically, he focused on the bed of flowers at the front of the room. More specifically still, he focused on the beautiful girl tending to the bed of flowers. She was _stunning_. Long, spiraled brown hair spilled down her slim back from a high ponytail and Zack saw two more straight locks of shimmering hair framed her face as she turned to see who was approaching her. Gorgeous teal eyes met star-struck violet and Zack all but swooned. He would give anything for Cloud to say that this exquisite being was Aeris. As if hearing Zack's inner pleas, Cloud greeted the woman.

"Hello, Aeris. I'll suppose you know why I'm here?" Cloud's tone was polite and elegant, and Zack was suddenly self-conscious. What if she didn't like him? Her gentle smile made Zack's heart skip a beat. He couldn't stop the words that came from his mouth.

"Hiya, you're Aeris, right? I'm Zack and this chocobo here in Cloud! You're _really_ pretty, but you know that, don't you? Of course you do! I bet people tell you that all the time…" Zack trailed off embarrassedly, but grinned as he spotted a pretty blush on her face.

"Erm… thank you very much and hello, Zack, Cloud. Yes, I'm Aeris Gainsborough; may I help you with something?" Her voice was like the ringing of bells and Zack felt himself falling. She was an angel, fuck Sephiroth; there was no other explanation.

"Do you know me; why we've come?" Cloud's light voice was controlled and Zack felt jealous. He must have sounded like an idiot next to the Third.

"I know a little. Gaia has told me a few details; that you would be coming today, that I should listen to you, but that is all." Her enchanting voice sounded certain, and Zack was sure that he could listen to it forever and never get tired of it.

"I see. I am Third Class SOLDIER Cloud Strife, formerly known as Cloud Row. My companion here is Lieutenant Zackary Fair. He will be your guard dog for the next long while, so please take your time to become acquainted with him. I will be at your home to pack your things for the next three hours. You will most likely not see the building again. When we make it back to Midgar, you will either choose to stay with Lieutenant Fair or me. I will see you both in three hours. Zack, protect her with your life." Without waiting for an answer, Cloud strode out of the church.

Zack gawked at Cloud's abrasive speech. He couldn't just invade her home and tell her that she'd never see her home again! And why didn't Zack know about being her personal guard!? Not that he minded, but still! It was rude. A small, soft hand touched his bare arm and Zack's senses lit up.

"It's alright, Lieutenant Fair, I've been expecting something like this for a while now. Would you like some tea?" Her voice sang like bells and Zack, though he wasn't thirsty, hastily accepted.

"I'd love some! And please call me Zack, Miss Gainsborough." He gave himself a mental pat on the back for being so coherent when speaking. Zack received a smile for his hard work.

"Alright, but you have to call me Aeris. Miss Gainsborough makes me sound old." Aeris laughed happily as Zack flushed.

"I didn't mean- you're not- I was just- agh… I'm sorry." Zack apologized feebly. She must think him a loser by now…

************

Aeris looked at her new "guard dog" happily. He was more like a puppy than anything else. "It's alright, Zack. I was just joking!" His face lit up with the largest grin that she had ever seen and she couldn't stop the blush that reddened her cheeks. They spent the next three hours talking about all of the little things. He told her about his life in Gongaga, how he raced through the ranks of SOLDIER, and the first time he met Cloud. Zack's eyes lit up when he talked about the blonde which she had met earlier. It was sweet, and her heart skip happily. He gazed at her with such adoration that she couldn't stop smiling. But he probably did that to every pretty girl he met. Aeris examined her hair out of her peripheral vision; she didn't think she was very pretty.

A giggle threatened to escape her throat. Zack thought she was pretty. The thought made butterflies flutter in her stomach. He was a gentleman if she ever saw one. Please and thank-yous, compliments and flattery; he had even pulled out Aeris's chair for her. It was possibly the sweetest thing anyone had ever done and Aeris could feel herself drowning in the deep purple eyes where she sat. His slight country accent didn't help matters at all and she faintly wondered what it was like to be in love. This time Aeris really did giggle. It was way too soon to be thinking like that. At least, that's what Aeris's mind was telling her. Her heart said that it was never too soon.

"Did I say something wrong?" Zack was undeniably cute when he was confused.

"No, not at all." And it was true; the Cetra wasn't sure that Zack could ever say anything wrong. The sound of church doors opening had Zack up and pulling out Aeris's chair for her to stand up. She was fairly sure that she hadn't stopped blushing since Zack had first called her pretty.

"Are you two ready to leave?" Cloud had a rather large duffle hanging from his left shoulder, most likely holding all of her clothes.

"We are." Aeris answered happily. Cloud was just as Zack had described him. Cute and cuddly with an emotional mask on at all times.

**************

Sephiroth watched the Cetra stare out the helicopter door in amazement, clinging to Zackary for dear life at the same time. She looked scared and excited; probably afraid of heights and amazed at the beauty all at once. He halfway wished that Strife wasn't so calm, so composed. Though the Third was sitting beside him, he hadn't once glanced in Sephiroth's direction. In fact, he had stared straight ahead since getting onto the vehicle. It was annoying Sephiroth: the fact that he couldn't get his mind off of the blonde for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Suddenly, something clicked in Sephiroth's mind: Strife was afraid of heights. The urge to smirk nearly overcame Sephiroth as he tapped his foot twice. It was a signal to shake the copter; scare the new recruits. It was perfect. The blonde SOLDIER jumped about a foot into the air before latching himself onto Sephiroth's arm; head buried in the taller male's chest. No matter what he had been through, Third Class Strife was undeniably fearful of heights; not that Sephiroth minded. He saw Zack toss a knowing grin in his direction just before the shaking came to a halt.

It didn't matter to the General that his Second knew what he was up to; he had a blonde beauty on his arm, what did anything matter? When the helicopter smoothed out completely, Cloud slowly lifted his head, a light blush gracing his cheeks. It suited him.

"Ah…" Strife detached himself from the General like paper from fire. "Sorry about that. I'm not exactly a fan of heights…" Blue eyes refused to meet green for the remainder of the flight, and Sephiroth couldn't help but feel smug. When they did land, the blonde stopped them from getting out of the vehicle right away.

"Listen…whatever you hear, whatever you see, ignore it, alright? Don't interfere." It was a slow command, one he seemed reluctant but determined to make. He was probably not looking forward to being embarrassed by his family. With a small nod from Sephiroth and verbal agreements from the other two, they all prepared to enter Nibelheim.


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Author's Note:**__ Hiya, it's me again! I hope you're all enjoying the story; I'm trying really hard. Please tell me if something's horribly not right or even if you just have a suggestion. I'd really appreciate it._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Only in my dreams._

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. Abuse. Violence._

Cloud looked around his home town of Nibelheim with apathy. He should hate this place, he really should, but he didn't. In fact, the_ only_ thing Cloud hated was Hojo. And even then, he felt more sorry for the man than anything else. Yes, he did horrible things that Cloud would never forgive him for, but there wasn't a doubt in Cloud's mind that Hojo had never had a friend, and that was a sorrier existence than Cloud could think. The blonde ignored the hateful leers being sent his way, the disgusted jeers stating how vile he was, and tried to ignore the waves of surprise practically rolling off of Zack and Aeris. They were open books.

Mere minutes passed before a slim figure approached them. The closer it got; the more distinct it became: vibrant blonde hair, steel grey eyes, an upturned nose, and a beautiful body advanced. Cloud would recognize the woman anywhere.

"Hello, Mother." Cloud's voice was polite and respectful. She backhanded him for it. He faintly felt her three rings scrape against his cheek, leaving cuts no doubt. His head snapped to the left from the sheer force of the hit. He was too used to it to really notice.

"I'm _not_ your _mother_! I could _never_ have relations to a _monster like you_!" Her melodical voice did nothing to soften the blow of her cruel words. Cloud felt Zack tense up behind him and slowly turned his head back towards the stunning woman who gave birth to him.

"Of course not. I apologize for implying such ludicrous things, Mrs. Row. If you don't mind, my companions and I have important ShinRa business to attend to." Everything about Cloud screamed polite submission at that moment and he knew that. He only hoped that his friends wouldn't be dragged into this.

"_'Important ShinRa busine_ss'," Mrs. Row mocked snidely, "The only thing they're here for is to drop you off, no doubt! I'm surprised that you lasted this long, to tell the truth. What, did they finally catch you trying to fuck your way through the ranks?" She sounded confident in her accusation.

"I did no such thing, Ma'am." In the back of his mind, Cloud wondered what his three companions were thinking.

"Like _Hell _you didn't! You have the eyes of an Incubus, just like your _father_! That's the only way he could have bedded me; the only way we could have made _you_! Perhaps you put these fine young men under your spell to escort you here, hm? I think you bedded this beautiful young woman here to make her think that you were _human_! You _disgust_ me. Would you like to know the difference between you and your father?" Half of her words were covered in venom and by the last question, her tone had turned sickly sweet. She paused just long enough to make him think he was supposed to answer before continuing.

"He was obviously a full blooded Incubus, beautiful in every shape, form and fashion; the only beautiful thing about you is your bewitching eyes. The rest of you is pathetic, ugly. I feel sorry for SOLDIER, having to put up with you for two years straight. Dealing with such an insolent monster isn't something I would wish on anyone." Cloud let her words of scorn wash past him, knowing that they would haunt him the next time he closed his eyes to rest. It was true, after all. He wasn't good-looking and there was no real reason other than curiosity for them to accompany him. Besides, the only thing anyone had ever complimented on was his eyes.

"I understand that, Ma'am; we really must be going though." All Cloud wanted to do was get out of that town, to meet at his safe-house and get it all over with. Jennifer Row wasn't finished with him though.

"Are you really so _conceded_ that you think you can just _dismiss_ me?! _How dare you_! I was kind enough to bring you into this world; to put a roof over your head and make sure that you knew your place! And you _dare_ repay me for all of my selfless kindness by acting as if you're _better_ than me!? Well, _you're not_! In fact, you're _worse_ than the _scum_ on the bottom of my boots! I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Yes, she should have. The world would most likely be a better place without him.

"Now wait a minute here!" Zack's voice rang out angrily. Didn't he say he wouldn't interfere? The loathing look on his mother's face disappeared immediately and was replaced by one of soft kindness.

"Oh, how rude of me! I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Jennifer Row; it's nice to meet you all..." She didn't know their names. "No, wait! Don't tell me! You two look awfully familiar…" She was laughing; the sound was like soft, jingling bells. It only served to remind Cloud off how such pleasantries were never directed at him; how he wasn't good enough for them. "I know! You're General Sephiroth! And that makes you Lieutenant Fair, doesn't it? Oh, I bet it does, how exciting! And you're…I'm sorry, I don't know you're name…" His mother smiled nicely while waiting for Aeris to introduce herself. She didn't have to wait long.

"Aeris Gainsborough." Aeris's voice was clipped and Cloud was fairly sure he'd only heard that tone once before, just after Zack's death.

"What a _delightful _name! Come, I'll get you all some tea and we can discuss some things about little Strife here. I'd like to know what trouble he's caused. Zack was the first to respond, his hesitation evident at the seemingly bipolar woman.

"Erm… Why do you call him Strife? Wouldn't his last name be Row?" Cloud could tell that Zack was unsure of what to do. Her tone as sweet as honey, Mrs. Row explained.

"I may have given birth to the monster, but he's certainly not my son. So as soon as it was legal, we changed his last name to something that suited him better: Strife. In any case, that's all he is, right? A strife." Without Cloud realizing it, Jennifer had led them to his old home, where he could hear his adopted younger sister humming from the kitchen: Tifa Lockheart. After her house had burned down ten years ago Jennifer had adopted her. The brunette beauty had kept her last name to honor her late family, but that was all. It hadn't taken much time before Tifa had settled in, had shown her hatred for Cloud using the same extremities that his mother did. The scars on his body, so faint that you have to right next to him to see them, were proof of such.

They entered the homey building and received a whiff of wonderful smelling food. The scent only got stronger as they entered the kitchen. A long table sat in the middle of the long room, seven chairs surrounded the furniture, but that wasn't what drew Cloud's attention. In front of a high-tech stove stood a pretty girl around the age of sixteen. She had long, though not as long as Aeris's, hair which hung in straight locks down to her mid-back. A short, black dress with white linings clung to her slender form and rather large bust, leaving little to the imagination. When she turned to say hello to her mother, sweet brown eyes shone with a tornado of emotions: Shock, hatred, love, adoration…the list went on. In the end though, her eyes were trained on Zack. A soft giggle escaped plush lips.

"Why hello there! I'm Tifa Lockheart," she fluttered her long eyelashes at Zack prettily, "and who might you be?" Her interest in the SOLDIER was obvious.

*************

Zack frowned at her blatant flirting. Could she not see the angel standing next to him and figure out that she could never measure up? He reluctantly let out a gruff, "Lieutenant First Class Zackary Fair." If the girl was anything like Cloud's mother, Zack wasn't going to like her. Why had the woman talked to his chocobo like that? It bugged Zack, not just because of the cruel words which were spoken, but because Spike seemed to believe it. Cloud was obviously better looking than all of the people in the stupid village put together, so it didn't make any sense to Zack. Why would the blonde put up with things like that? It was only his promise to Cloud and Aeris's soft grip on his bicep that kept Zack's mouth in check at her next words.

"Ooh, I simply_ love_ a man in uniform. Are you here to tell us what mayhem Strife has caused; to execute him perhaps?" A soft giggle accompanied her words as she went back to preparing their meal. Zack's right hand clenched into a fist.

"No, we are not here to execute anyone and Third Class Strife has done _nothing_ wrong. He was correct when he said that we had very important ShinRa business to attend to. Now." Zack could feel his skin breaking from where his nails dug into his flesh. Aeris's grip tightened and Zack forced himself to relax.

"Sorry, Babe." His whispered apology earned Aeris a jealous glare from the cooking female. Something connected in Zack's mind. This was why Cloud was so withdrawn, so lacking in self-confidence. _His family_. Did they even deserve to be called that? Zack didn't think so.

It's alright, Zack." She wrapped her arms around his bicep and placed her head on his shoulder in an attempt at comfort. It worked as his body relaxed further. How could Spike have put up with this for sixteen years?

"What do you mean he didn't do anything wrong? Did he brainwash you or something? Strife can't do anything _right_." The girl harrumphed at being ignored in favor of Aeris and all Zack wanted to do was leave.

"Excuse us, but they're right. If we get the chance than we'll drop by before our departure. Would that be acceptable?" Sephiroth's coldly polite voice rang through the room, issuing what Zack immediately recognized as a command poised as a question; the easiest way to get civilians to cooperate. With a deep blush, Mrs. Row nodded. Cloud was the first one out of the house, followed by Zack and Aeris and finally Sephiroth. They faced the jeers and glares of Nibelheim's population all the way through town. Though Zack knew that none of it was directed at him, he felt as insulted as if it had been. What had Cloud done to make them hate him so much? Zack vocalized his question and his chocobo's answer shocked him to the core.

"I was born." Suddenly, Zack felt like a father who had stood by and watched his daughter get raped. Cloud needed more than just a friend; he needed a family. The blonde needed a father to protect him, older siblings to look out for him, and a lover to tell him that he was their reason for living. Cloud Strife was a broken man and Zack could have smacked himself for not seeing it earlier. When the small group finally stopped sometime into the woods, a little ways away from what Zack supposed was ShinRa Mansion, Zack looked down at Aeris. She nodded in understanding. They had a new mission.

************

Tseng stared at the slightly shorter male in front of him. Standing at a full 6'2, it wasn't hard to be shorter, but Vincent stood at an impressive 6'0 nonetheless. He tried to think of how he had gotten himself into this predicament; one Cloud Strife was the only answer he could come up with. The Turk leader had followed the enigmatic blonde's instructions to a tee and everything had worked exactly as he had said it would, which led him to his current placement: sitting in front of _the_ Vincent Valentine, Tseng's childhood hero, drinking hot tea and waiting for dusk to arrive so that they could go meet the Third Class. Not satisfied with his answer, Tseng thought over what _exactly_ had happened in the last two days…

_**Monday Morning: In Front of ShinRa Mansion:**_

_ Tseng looked at the old building with well hidden distaste. It was covered in dust and dirt that must have built up for around thirty years. With an air of boredom about him, Tseng entered the house. He had easily swept through the first three floors, found the trap door that Cloud had mentioned, and figured out which coffin Vincent was supposed to reside in. That was where everything raced downhill. The blonde had been 100% correct when he had said that Tseng was horrible with Materia. So how was he supposed to get the coffin open? He could just shoot it, but what if he hit Vincent? So shooting wasn't an option. No weapons could be seen, and there certainly wasn't an instruction manual lying around, so Tseng did the only thing that he could think of: he tried to open the coffin by hand. If ever there was a bad idea; that was it. An unseen force blasted him across the room. It got the lid of the coffin off, but it could have killed him and Tseng berated himself for being so reckless. _

_ Wine red eyes stopped whatever curses wanted to flow from his mouth. Seeing his hero after so many years had Tseng's mind running in circles; he hesitated. That small hesitation was all Vincent needed. Before Tseng could blink, he was held against the wall by his neck. Fuck. What was it Cloud had told him to say?_

_ "State your business." Vincent's voice was as smooth as melted chocolate with a tinge of danger. Tseng's mind drew a blank. He was supposed to say something; something that would get him out of this mess, but what was it? The grip around his neck tightened slightly._

_ "Now." Tseng's body, finding survival more important than his mind, delivered a sharp kick to the chest. Vincent only staggered back slightly for the kick had seriously lacked momentum, but it was enough. Tseng twisted out of Vincent's grip with ease and somersaulted to the other side of the room. Red eyes narrowed at him, accepting the challenge. Double fuck. He really needed to remember those magic words now. Valentine came at him with a killing intent, drawing one of the most beautiful guns that Tseng had ever seen. Tseng mentally shook himself. Now wasn't the time to be ogling the man which he'd hero-worshipped for fifteen years' weaponry! His thoughts came too late as he stared down the barrel of a surprisingly clean pistol. He wasn't sure what model, which was strange for Tseng. Suddenly, his brain decided that his body had a pretty smart idea and that survival sounded kind of nice._

_ "Ashes to ashes and dusk to dusk, I do what I do because I know I must. From the Once Was That Will Be!" His words were rushed but Vincent clearly got the message as he lowered his weapon. _

_ "How?" There was no readable emotion in Vincent's voice. Tseng looked Vincent in the eye; he wasn't out of the woods yet. With a nod towards the retractable stairs, Tseng led the ex-Turk towards the kitchen they now sat in and explained everything that Strife had told him; which put him in the uncomfortable wooden chair he now sat in._

_**Tuesday Night: In ShinRa Mansion's Kitchen:**_

Tseng watched with interest as Vincent stood up from the chair he had been sitting in for the past twenty-four hours or so. He had eaten what Tseng had given him with grace not unlike the General's. It was like an art form and the man didn't rush, even though he supposedly hadn't eaten in twenty-seven years. The ex-Turk walked past him, signaling that it was time to meet Strife. How he knew that it was dusk in the small, windowless room, Tseng would never know. Tseng spotted the General, Lieutenant, Third Class, and a fairly pretty lady just where Strife had told them he would be.

"Which one of you is _The Once Was That Will Be_?" Vincent wasted no time and Tseng admired that.

"I am, and the _Always and Forever_ is here as well." They both threw a not-so-discreet glance at Sephiroth and Tseng wondered, not for the first time, what he had gotten himself into.

"Why should I believe you?" Tseng had asked something similar and the results hadn't been fun. He wondered what the blonde would do to the once Turk.

"If hope exists, seek it." They were speaking in riddles which Tseng hadn't heard before and he was quickly lost to the conversation. Vincent though, seeming to find Strife's answer to his satisfaction, Vincent nodded. Without another word, Strife told Lieutenant Fair to pick up the female – Aeris, he had called her – and follow him. The Lieutenant did so with no complaints and they began a long trek up a rather steep mountain. When they finally reached the top, about an acre of land in any direction of flat nothingness, Tseng saw a small house sitting in the middle of the bizarre excuse for an island. There was nothing else. Strife didn't bother stopping as he led the way inside; to a large living room which, while not outlandishly decorated, held an air of prestige about it. There was a comfortable looking navy blue couch, a matching plush chair, an oak coffee table, a white baby grand piano and bench, and a window whose sill was lined with, once again, navy blue pillows. There were no pictures on the walls; no personal items strewn about; just the basics, not counting the piano.

Strife, surprisingly, went straight to another door, not paying attention to whether or not they followed. As if on instinct, no one did. Valentine sat himself on the window sill; left knee drawn up to his chest and right leg left to dangle over the edge. Lieutenant Fair dropped gratefully into the middle of the couch, General Sephiroth and Miss Aeris placing themselves gracefully on either side of him. Tseng, seeing that it was the only option left, sat in the chair. After everyone was seated, only the Lieutenant and his woman moved. They chatted amiably, trying to pass the time, but that wouldn't work for Tseng. Nor would it work for either Sephiroth or Vincent, and so they had nothing to do but wait; and wait they did.

*************

Cloud looked around the kitchen which he hadn't been in for weeks now. More correctly, he hadn't been in it for two years. Figuring that they would be at it for a while, the blonde set the oven to 177 degrees Celsius, mixing up the ingredients for strawberry muffins and making tea at the same time. It was a routine that he was used to, as he did it a lot in the future. Strawberries were his favorite thing to eat, it helped him think straight for some weirdo reason. Knowing that his body knew what to do; Cloud allowed his mind to wander. Vincent looked just as he had the last time Cloud had seen him; right down to the red cloak on his body and cloth around his forehead. His long hair still swished about him with an ethereal grace to it; just like his son. The more Cloud thought about it, the happier he was that they would meet this time. No matter what Hojo said, the resemblance was there. They had the same high cheek bones, identically strong jaw lines and matching calculating looks shining in their eyes. Yes, Vincent Valentine was definitely Sephiroth's father. A smirk graced Cloud's face as he put two and two together. That would make the scariest General in the world's last name Valentine, wouldn't it? With a shake of his head, Cloud banished the silly thought. Still, the vibrant red eyes and incredibly long hair had given Cloud a free ticket into the past – future – whatever, and it had taken all of Cloud's strength not to ask him how he was, for no answer would have been given. He hadn't yet formed a bond with the demonic hybrid.

After filling five cups with tea, one with coffee, fixing them exactly how everyone liked them, and setting the timer on the oven, Cloud carried the platter of drinks to his living room. He passed out the drinks methodically, everyone had say where he had thought they would, and placing himself on the piano bench Cloud leaned back. He almost felt like he was being led to the guillotine as he gave them permission to ask their questions.

"What do you want to know?" Cloud's voice didn't betray how nervous he felt and Zack started off the complicated game of Question and Answer with something simple.

"Why does your town hate you so much? And none of that, 'I was born' bull shit, alright?" Zack made a bad impression of his voice and it almost brought a smile to his lips.

"Sadly enough, that's the real answer. My father was an outsider, my mother was the last Mayor's daughter; needless to say, they hit it off. At first, things went great, but that was before the Mayor found out, about a year after they had begun dating." Zack interrupted Cloud's story.

"How did he find out?" It was a simple question that brought a melancholy smile to Cloud's face.

"It's hard to hide a baby, even when it hasn't been born yet." The message was clear. Cloud had been conceived. "As soon as my father heard of the pregnancy, he fled. And it was illegal to have sex before marriage in those days, so the village immediately wanted to exile her and, well, my mother couldn't stand that idea. She was a social butterfly and couldn't survive without people, so she said the first thing that came to her mind; that my father was an Incubus, that he had put her under a spell and she held no responsibility in it. And he was an outsider, who were they to say that he wasn't such? She told herself that story so many times that I think even_ she_ began to believe it. When I was born, she took out any frustrations she may have had on me, and why not? I'm not _human_; I can't _feel_. So no one stopped it. In time, the villagers grew used to it, joined in even. And what did it matter if a child had to sleep in the snow for a night or two? _It didn't_." Aeris had tears in her eyes as he finished his tale.

"No, Tseng, I'm not spouting a sob story to get pity, so keep your comments to yourself. Next question." Tseng looked mildly taken aback at Cloud's comment and missed his chance to ask the next question.

"Who are you?" Sephiroth asked that one. It had so many answers that Cloud had to think about where to begin. Coming to a decision, Cloud tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling and began.

I'm Cloud Strife. My body will turn eighteen on November nineteenth; my mind, however, will turn forty-two." Cloud ignored the skeptical looks as he continued on. "I was sent back approximately two weeks ago, just when I began to get noticed around ShinRa. I'm not sure why I was sent back. I have a feeling, however, that Aeris does. At least somewhat." And all eyes but Cloud's turned to Aeris.

His enhanced ears could hear her take a sip of tea before speaking. "I don't understand much of what Mother Gaia has told me, but I know that it is about you. She said that the future was bleak; that she wouldn't let it happen. Mother Gaia proclaimed that she sent an ULTIMATE, a mix between a WEAPON and a MACHINE. She said that with the knowledge you had gained, you could defeat the Silver Threat sooner, and stop her sickness in the process. I'm not sure what much of it means, but I know that what you're saying is true. You aren't from this time, at least, not mentally." Aeris's speech sealed it. He was nothing but a tool for Planet to toss around as she pleased. "Mr. Strife?" The Cetra's timid voice evoked a hollow chuckle from Cloud.

"Hey…what's that mean? What're WEAPONs and MACHINEs? What's the Silver Threat and how could you cure an entire planet's sickness? What's going on here, Spike?" Zack sounded almost lost as he fired questions at the blonde.

"A WEAPON is an unfeeling creature made by Gaia for protection. They have no souls to feel emotions and no nerves to feel pain." Vincent and Sephiroth obviously caught the sting of being called a WEAPON. "A MACHINE is a human-like being whose sole purpose is to heal the Planet, at any and all costs. They are given no choice in the matter, for if they refuse to purify mako for long enough, their bodies will grow weak and perish. It's an extremely painful process." This time it was Sephiroth who interrupted.

"That's how you survived the drowning incident in the forest." It wasn't a question but Cloud nodded anyway. Hearing the alarm go off, he got up, leaving them to their own thoughts once more. Minutes later, Cloud returned with a tray of strawberry muffins and sat them on the coffee table, taking one for himself and tossing one to Vincent before sitting back down. The older male caught it out of reflex, like Cloud knew he would, and stared curiously at the blonde for a minute before taking a bite.

"That's also how I'm supposed to cure Gaia. ShinRa is taking and polluting all of her mako, leaving none for her to operate on."It was a sad fact, and Cloud hated admitting it; that when it all came down to it humans were the cause of everything. Tseng interrupted now.

"If you're from the future then you know who lives and who dies, right? Tell me, how many of us in this room live to see the next twenty-four years, besides you?" Sapphire blue eyes closed tiredly. This was the question he had been dreading.

"Vincent." When Cloud failed to go on, Zack spoke.

"How do we die?" His voice was determined.

"Because of me." It hurt Cloud to admit it.

"Bull Shit. Explain." Zack was in full blown Lieutenant General mode as he gave the order. Cloud complied.

"After I defeat…the Silver Threat, Hojo takes us to a small lab south of Midgar. He wanted me, but you refused to run and the sick bastard figured that he could always use another guinea pig and took you too. He kidnapped us the day after you proposed to Aeris." Cloud waited patiently for Aeris and Zack to let out surprised gasps before continuing. "We were trapped in that place for five full years before you broke us out. I was too incoherent from the last experiment Hojo had performed to be of much use. I remember it all though: the blood, the fire, and the bullets that sliced through you like a hot knife through butter while you tried to protect me." He didn't wait to hear them exclaim their shock. "Your last words were to tell Aeris that you loved her. I did, and Aeris reacted the way she should have." Cloud directed his story at Aeris now.

"You lashed out at me, blamed me for Zack's death. No, blame isn't the right word for it; considering the truth in the statement. Either way, you refused to talk to me for a week; told me that I should have died instead of Zack, and it was true. Zack touched so many lives while I did nothing but wreck them. It shouldn't have been him, but there was nothing I could do about that. We never rekindled the bond we once had. You had been happy; your life perfect, and I took that away from you. And then you got sick, so, so sick. At the end of the CALAMITY is when it happened; when doctors were scarce and medicine was scarcer. I looked all over the world for two years and finally found it. Ironically enough, I found the cure in Gongaga, but not soon enough. I got back a week after you died; took too much time, I suppose. That broke me and left Tseng to pick up the pieces." The guilt was heavy in Cloud's voice as he turned himself towards Tseng.

"You picked me up and dusted me off before telling me that I was an idiot child who needed a baby-sitter. Day after day, you would ask me why you had gotten stuck with me, but you never meant it. Sometimes, I wish you had meant it. It was only because of you that I became emotionally stable. Three years after you had found me, you caught the flu. I went out to get some medicine, and you were attacked and taken by a bunch of brutes that had wanted me but figured that my best friend was better than nothing. I found you and your captors two days later, but it was too late. You died in a damp cellar from loss of blood with no one by your side. And it was my fault. Once that happened, I saw a bit more of Vincent." Cloud rested his weary eyes on the hybrid.

"You never stayed long; out of a favor to me because I had finally seen a pattern in the deaths. Everyone had been close to me when they died. I think you understood me better than anyone else, the need to grieve and the guilt that settles so heavily on your soul. But every month or two you'd drop by and chat with me; just to make sure I was okay. You were there the night I got sent back here." Sephiroth, seeing that he was through, asked another question.

"And how, pray tell, did I die?" He seemed genuinely curious, in that emotionless way of his, and Cloud hated answering.

"_I killed you_." It took everything Cloud had not to let his voice break.

"From your point of view, you killed _everyone_. Explain." His voice was sharp and Cloud shook his head sadly.

"You don't understand. It was _my fault_ that they died, but I _killed_ you. You went crazy after a mission to Nibelheim's reactor where you found Jenova, a petrified alien who feeds on the Lifestream. Hojo injected some of her living cells into you when you were still in Lucretia's womb." Cloud saw Vincent tense slightly. "Lucretia is your real mother, no matter what Hojo or Jenova say. And Vincent over there is your father; which is Hojo took him in the first place. Vincent was clearly a better genetic match for Lucretia to make the perfect son than Hojo, so Hojo got Lucretia to make Vincent fall for her. As soon as she agreed to marry him, he agreed to sleep with her. It wasn't long until she became pregnant with Sephiroth and things spiraled out of control. Vincent wanted you so badly; wanted to father his child more than anything else and Hojo took that away. In the end, you went crazy, completely and totally, clinically insane. Jenova was telling you to destroy the human race; saying that they weren't as good as you and she were. You had a mother who loved you and the humans had hurt her, so you wanted to hurt them back. You tried to destroy the world." Comprehension dawned on Sephiroth's face.

"I'm the Silver Threat." Once again, it wasn't a question, but Cloud, once again, nodded.

"And I ran you through with Tsurugi – my Buster sword – so many times that not even Chaos could have survived. But you, clones of you, came back, and I had to kill you twice more. So many innocents died at your hands…" Cloud trailed off sadly.

"And you hate me for doing that." Sephiroth's voice rang out flatly.

***************

Somehow, the thought that Strife hated him stood out more than anything else. It surpassed the fact that his true father was sitting across from him and that he would become nothing but a crazed murderer with a voice in his head. And worse than that – it _hurt_. Whatever pain he had felt when he had thought that Strife had died was _nothing_ compared to this. It was almost as if someone had pushed their hand into his chest and was squeezing it to see just how fast it would beat before giving out. And beat it did. He was sure that everyone in the room could hear his heart; it was beating so erratically, so quickly. Oh, _Gaia_, what was happening to him?

Sephiroth glanced down at his food and drink. Had Strife poisoned his muffin? Was he, the greatest General in history, going to die by the hands of a _muffin_? The idea was quickly dismissed as no one else showed signs of pain and they had all taken the muffins at random. His tea then? Was there an unknown substance in his tea? Strife's voice broke through his musings.

"No, I don't hate you." And the pain stopped. At those five simple words, the pain, the panic, it all vanished. Why? "I'm sorry that I couldn't have helped you through that time, told you that it was all fine, but I don't hate you. Hojo had starved you for love and when the opportunity to have a mother that cared presented itself, you took it. Who wouldn't? I just think, if more people would have looked at you as a person, not some estranged war hero, that wouldn't have happened. If you agree not to go crazy, I'd like to do so." And suddenly, pleasure flooded Sephiroth where the pain had been. Strife thought of him as a human, someone worth knowing. More than that, Strife _wanted_ to know him; know him like Zackary knew him, not as a General or a Hero, but as a_ person_. Sephiroth felt like a child on Christmas as his mind finally began to register everything. He had a father, a father who wanted him, at least, he hoped that Vincent wanted him. And there was a beautiful blonde who wanted to be friends. They were small things, but Sephiroth wasn't one to take things for granted.

"I'll try to remain sane." Sephiroth spoke in a bland tone that gave none of his inner thoughts away. He received a small, warm smile for the comment and he felt his heart skip a beat. Unexpectedly, something clicked into place in Sephiroth's mind. It wasn't the muffins or the tea or anything else like that. It was _Strife_. The revelation was almost too much for the stoic General as he slowly took another bite of said muffin. All other questions forgotten, a single inquiry raced around Sephiroth's tired mind. Why did Third Class SOLDIER Cloud Strife have such an effect on him?


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Author's Note:**__ Hello, All! It has been brought to my attention that some people think that I'm not going anywhere with the story and need to get Sephiroth and Cloud in bed already. I'm wondering what the rest of you think. I, personally, hate it when people jump into bed together because they're __**people**__. They have emotions and this is a love, not lust, story. But I respect your opinions and don't want you to lose interest. Please, just tell me what you guys think about this situation. Do I need to speed it up? Also, I realize that Aeris's eyes are, indeed, green. There is a point to the slight color change which will later come into play._

_**Disclaimer:**__ It is not, has not, nor will it ever be, mine._

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. Violence._

Tseng was still a bit skeptic about the whole, 'travel back in time' deal, and he said so. "Why should we believe you? You've got some pretty convincing stuff here, but no proof. How can we be sure that Mr. Valentine over there's really Sephiroth's father? And how do we know that you didn't just tell Miss Gainsborough what to say before coming here? Where's the _proof_?" Questioning things was the only reason Tseng was still alive and he wasn't about to stop.

"You're alive, aren't you?" It was Vincent who spoke, and Tseng was drowning in the richness of his voice once more.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Tseng wasn't sure how he managed to keep his voice so level.

"If Mr. Strife hadn't told you that little rhyme, you'd be dead by now." It was a deadpanned statement.

"How do you know he didn't over hear it or something? What does it mean?" The Turk refused to give in to the crazy idea just yet.

"My father told me that rhyme just before he died. It's been passed down through my line for centuries now, from father to son. It means that everything you do is necessary; everything is right. No matter the outcome. My father told this to me and only me, and Mr. Strife obviously isn't bodily old enough to know him. Therefore, I must have told him." Vincent was cut off by Sephiroth.

"Which means that you come to think of him as your son in the future." His voice was calculating as Vincent gave a small nod.

"And I can see why I do. He is quite the character. From what I can tell, he's saved us all more than once. I don't take something like that lightly." Vincent clearly wasn't happy with Tseng, and, seeing the validity in Vincent's explanation, Tseng backed down.

"You know, I think we should try and concentrate on some good aspects of being sent back. You said that Aeris and I were going to get married, right?" Tseng watched the blonde nod at the First Class's question and nearly frowned. He had completely forgotten that the Third Class was in the room.

"Well that means that you know who you're going to fall in love with already, right? There's no going through right and wrong and making mistakes. You already know who your beloved will be!" Lieutenant Fair had a happy smile on his face as he announced that.

**************

"No." Strife's soft voice was a deadpan and Sephiroth watched him almost curiously.

"What do you mean 'no'? You can have a long, happy life with-" Strife cut Zackary's confused tone off without hesitation.

"I never fall in love, Zack." And Strife's voice sounded tired once again. It seemed that Zackary didn't know what to say to that, so he went for the first thing he could think of.

"Well, you'll have two life times of sexual experience. That should be fun! You'll impress whoever's in your bed!" Zackary was obviously nervous when he spouted that one, for he usually played the part of a gentleman so well. Strife simply sighed.

"No, Zack. I won't." The blonde's exhaustion was evident in his tone.

There was a pause on Zackary's behalf before, "Why not? Are you going to be abstinent this time around?" Sephiroth was fairly sure that the fact that Zackary was serious about his question made it all the worse.

"Zack, I'm a virgin. I have never slept with anyone." The words were explained slowly. Zack just blinked.

"Yeah, in _this_ life. But I mean the forty-something years that you lived befo-" The blonde chocobo seemed to be losing his patience as he interrupted Zack more hastily.

"_Zack_! I never had sexual relations in my last life." With the exception of the first word, he sounded just as calm as before. What excellent control… Strife didn't seem to be finished. "Before you ask, no, I have not had oral or even kissed another person before. No, not even when I was drunk. Yes, I'm sure. No, I don't want you to set me up with someone." Between every sentence was a slight pause where Zackary had opened his mouth to say something. That was when Sephiroth knew that Cloud was really from a different time. No one except for Zackary Fair's closest friends, namely Sephiroth, could tell what Zack was going to say before he said it.

Still, how marvelous was that? Strife was a virgin; not even his lips had been claimed before. Pure. Untouched. The thought was more appealing to Sephiroth than he had thought it would be. Never before had Sephiroth cared whether or not he was the first to be inside of his partner, but somehow, this time, it mattered. Then again, Sephiroth had always been a possessive person, and his blonde was definitely something to be possessive over. Sephiroth blinked numbly. When, _exactly_, had Strife become _his_?

"I'm sorry; we'll have to continue this tomorrow. I'm going to go get the supplies needed for tomorrow. There are three bedrooms: two for guests and one for myself. My bedroom is at the end of the hall; whoever gets a room to themselves will use that one. Zack, Aeris, you'll use the room to the right of mine and whoever's left will use the one to the right." Just before Strife made it to the door, Tseng gave him one last question.

"There are six of us; why would someone get a room to themselves?" The blonde didn't even pause as he pulled his boots on.

"I'm an insomniac. I see sleep once every three weeks or so." And then he was gone. Zack immediately spoke up.

"He needs a family." The determined tone in Zackary's normally carefree voice was quite a change. Tseng cocked an eyebrow at the statement.

"Doesn't he already have a family?" Tseng's voice sounded bored. "Sure, it didn't sound like a very nice family, but it's a family nonetheless." Zack frowned as the simple fact was pointed out.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you had seen them, _heard_ them." The subject clearly made the Lieutenant General irate as the Cetra pulled herself closer to him, forcing his fists unclenched. It seemed that they were quite taken with the idea of being together in the future. Tseng was doubtful.

"What? Did they not hug him hello and shower him with gifts like your family would have?" Sephiroth listened to Tseng's spiteful words with understanding. Though Tseng had nothing personal against Strife, he – like Sephiroth – had never enjoyed a happy home life. Yet from what Sephiroth had seen, Strife's past had been just a bit worse than Tseng's. Loathe as he was to admit it, with the future that the blonde had seen, he probably had more mental scars than Sephiroth himself. It wasn't that he wanted the best sob story; just that he didn't wish such a thing on the man. Contrary to popular belief, Sephiroth had a heart. It simply wasn't very big and had more ice around it than a glacier, at least, that's what Zackary said.

Aeris answered for Zackary, seeing as he wasn't able to keep his anger in control. That, in itself, was strange. Angering Zack was a hard thing to do, but Sephiroth supposed all of this information was enough to make any man lose control. Well, almost any man. Sephiroth hadn't yet lost control, not physically at any rate. Strife had lost control of his voice once, but he had actually lived through the events, and it had only been for a split second. How wonderful that had been, seeing normally shielded blue eyes flare to life with too many passionate emotions to count. Though it was as brief as brief could be, Sephiroth had seen it, and it intrigued him to no end. The General could easily hide his emotions because there weren't many to hide, but the Third Class was a completely different story. Cloud Strife had as many emotions, if not more, than Zackary and held near complete control over them all. It was astounding.

"His sister asked us if we were here to execute him." Her voice was solemn and tears could be heard in her tone, though she refused to physically cry. "And she smiled when she did it." Miss Gainsborough was as open as Zackary when it came to her emotions.

"They were probably teasing." Tseng waved it off, but Sephiroth knew that wasn't the case; he had seen it with his own eyes, and the Row's had been dead serious.

"They weren't teasing, damn it! His family treated him like he was worse than…than…than something really bad!" And Zackary showed off his ever present eloquence. Tseng merely quirked his lips downward.

"I'm sure your blowing this entire situation out of proportion. No one's parents hate them that much." Tseng's parents had loved him dearly before they died, which Sephiroth only knew from a few nights when the Turk leader had became intoxicated in his presence. On those nights, Sephiroth had learned that the orphanage which had been elected to take care of Tseng hadn't seen the man with as much loving kindness as his parents had. In fact, he had been emotionally neglected for twelve of the twenty-five years in which he had lived, hardening him and sending him searching in all the wrong places. SOLDIER training and the Turks had turned that around for Tseng.

Now Sephiroth knew for a fact that the habits weren't completely broken; Tseng still slept around, but not nearly as much. Perhaps a man a month. The mako, however diluted it was, in his blood prevented him from catching sexually transmitted diseases, so what was there to worry about? Certainly not pregnancy; Tseng was about as straight as Sephiroth, and that was saying something. Sephiroth had the same thoughts as the Turk leader on the subject of sex, and while he didn't pass himself around as much, he had never had more than a one night stand. Of course, that made Tseng sound like a whore, which he certainly was not. For one, he refused to bottom, and was fairly picky about who he would take to his bed, even when drunk. Sephiroth had the impulse to smirk at the thought as an interesting memory resurfaced but dismissed it. Now wasn't the time.

"I believe we should hear the Sephiroth's side to the story. You were there, were you not?" Vincent cut into the conversation much like Sephiroth would have, and the General could already tell that they were going to get along splendidly.

"I'm afraid they aren't exaggerating." Sephiroth kept his tone monotonously light as he decided what to say next. "Strife's family, nay, his entire village, wasn't very enthused with his return. To be truthful, I think a brawl would have broken out if Zackary and I hadn't been there." And it was true; the town's people had looked just about infuriated at the sight of Strife.

"The kid would have fought someone from the village knowing his own strength? That seems quite unfair." Tseng put his two cents in with boredom lacing his tone. Thinking back on the way that Strife calmly talked to his mother, even after she had hit him, Sephiroth didn't think he would. Correction, the General _knew_ he wouldn't. Somehow or another, Sephiroth just knew that Strife wouldn't lay a hand on someone who couldn't properly defend themselves unless someone else's well being was at stake. And for some reason, that unsettled the stoic General.

"No. You must remember, Tseng, that you need _two_ people for a fight, but only_ one_ participant." For a moment, Sephiroth thought he saw approval flash through Vincent's eyes.

"Look, whether you believe it or not, he needs a new one. And I know just who to give him." The determined grin was back on Zackary's face, where it belonged. Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow because, for once, he had no clue what the black haired man was about to say. Actually, there were a lot of times when his Lieutenant became unpredictable, just not when he was actually worth listening to. The thought of Strife being a mutated chocobo flew through Sephiroth's mind in testimony to that fact.

"Spike gave himself a family throughout his life, just at different times. There were the paternal figures: Vincent and Tseng." This time it was Tseng whose eyebrow rose.

"How so?" The Turk questioned.

"Vincent, you respected his space and still checked on him to make sure he was okay, talking to him when he needed it the most. You were the mom." Sephiroth couldn't help the almost-smirk that flashed across his face at that one. He could see Zack's point. "And Tseng, you completely disregarded him saying that he needed space and made him do what you thought was best; which turned out to be right. You're the father." Somehow, Zackary had a point; the two would play quite a paternal role in Strife's life. "And Aeris and I are his elder siblings, always trying to protect him!"

Zack didn't mention how Aeris had abandoned the blonde in her emotional time of crisis, but he supposed it made sense anyways. Her reaction in the village had been quite sisterly. While Zackary watched out for the blonde's physical needs, the Cetra looked out for his mental ones. Tseng interrupted Zackary in a mocking tone.

"What does that make our beloved General, the deranged uncle?" There was a smirk on Tseng's face as he said this. But he had a point. The General hadn't been close to Strife in the blonde's life from what he gathered. Actually, it sounded as if Sephiroth had been the bane of the blonde's existence for quite some time. Sephiroth quickly tuned himself back into the conversation as Zackary's smirk began to outdo the Turk's.

"Why, that would make him Spike's lover, of course!" Sephiroth's eyes widened at Zack's excited words and the tea left Tseng's mouth. _How_ could Zackary have _possibly _come up with _that_? Tseng voiced the General's thoughts through bouts of laughter.

"He's correct. Strife _kills_ me, remember?" As Sephiroth calmly added his opinion to Tseng's, Zack's grin grew.

"That's just it! He killed you because you went _crazy_. Now that you know what made you insane last time is _fake_; are you going to do it again?" Zackary paused just long enough to get a negative out of Sephiroth before continuing. "Exactly! And Spike isn't the type to sleep with someone he doesn't love, which is why he's still a virgin. He murdered the man he was supposed to fall in love with! It all fits! _You're _supposed to take care of my chocobo, Seph!" And Zackary grinned like he had just solved world hunger. There was only one little problem with his grand plan.

"And if I don't want to be his lover?" It was a serious question but Zack just snorted and brushed it off.

"Have you _seen_ Spike? He_ gorgeous_! And he's got a heart of gold, you can't _not _love him." All of this was said in an, 'are you serious' tone. Seeing that the General's only, and thereby best, friend didn't particularly care whether or not he wanted to be the blonde's lover, he tried a different approach.

"What if _Strife _doesn't want _me_?" Sephiroth was sure that if Strife disapproved of the relationship than Zackary would drop it. Instead of the put off look that the silver male was hoping for, Zack just stared at him incredulously.

"Okay, now you're just being stupid. When's the last time you looked in a mirror?" Zack's tone suggested that this was a major point in his argument and Sephiroth merely ascended his eyebrow slightly in question. What did that matter? Zackary rolled his eyes in an exaggerated fashion before explaining.

"Seph, you're _sex on legs_! And that's when you're _not _trying! If you put your mind to it, you could have _Tseng_ in your bed!" Aeris giggled at the exclamation and Sephiroth watched it near amusement as the Turk leader glowered. They all knew that it was true. The flaw still remained.

"Yes, but I don't plan on 'putting my mind to it', as you so brashly put it, any time soon. Besides, if Strife went for how attractive a person physically was, don't you think he'd have been deflowered, or at least _kissed_, by now?" Sephiroth knew as well as everyone else did that he had a fine point. Yet Zack's hesitation was only momentary and he was soon spouting his ideas once more.

"Well, yeah…but that just means you'll have to up it a step! Instead of just seducing him bodily, you're going to have to make him fall in love with you! Don't worry, we'll all help! Aeris and Vincent will help you with the emotions; Tseng and I will help set the moods, and you can just be yourself! It's perfect; foolproof; fail-safe!" Zackary sounded so happy with himself that it almost hurt to crush those foolish thoughts. Almost.

"_No_, Zackary." Sephiroth put an air of finality in his voice; ensuring that his Second-in-Command wouldn't argue. Knowing from experience what happened if he did, Zackary stayed silent. Vincent, however, had no such fears.

"I need to speak with you." And without another word, Vincent disappeared through the door which Strife had pointed out. Sephiroth looked at where Vincent had been sitting for a moment longer before following; grabbing another muffin on his way out. Whether or not he felt anything for Strife was irrelevant; the man could _cook_.

************

Zack watched Sephiroth's retreating form with sadness. Why couldn't he understand that it wasn't just for the blonde's sake that the little family needed to be born, but for Sephiroth's as well? No, it was for all of them. They needed each other; needed support throughout the hard times. Still, Seph and Spike required it the most.

"So…we're going to get them together, right?" Aeris smiled at Zack's blunt question and nodded. Tseng just looked at him for a moment before smirking lightly.

"Sure, when I have time." That was all the confirmation Zack needed as he grinned, already planning their wedding.

***********

Sephiroth looked around the fairly large room blankly. It had two twin beds and a nightstand, with a door in the middle, a bathroom he supposed.

"What is it you wanted to speak to me about?" The question flowed elegantly passed Sephiroth's lips yet Vincent said nothing. He simply sat on the bed and looked at Sephiroth.

"I'm sorry." The words were quiet and sincere, piquing Sephiroth's curiosity.

"For what?" It didn't make any sense to the General why Vincent would be apologizing. He had done nothing wrong as far as Sephiroth could tell.

"I should have fought harder. If I had, Hojo never would have gotten you." Sephiroth opened his mouth to ask how Vincent knew that Hojo had a hold of him before realizing that the reason he had been conceived, at least on his mother's behalf, was to get experimented on.

"You could have done nothing." Crimson eyes met emerald and understanding was born. Whether the ex-Turk could have done something or not, he felt sorry for it, wanted to make up for it, and that was more than Sephiroth could ever have asked for. Vincent nodded in gratitude. Things had just changed, and never would they be the same again. Though the two men were nowhere close to calling each other father and son, it was a start. One day, he would have to thank Strife for this, for giving him a chance at a family. A comfortable silence settled over the two men and for that, the General was glad.

Sephiroth took another bite out of his muffin, finishing it off, before he began to strip. First went his armor, then his trench coat, next his boots, and finally his white button up shirt. As much as the thought of sleeping in clothes which he'd worn all day disgusted him, he wasn't about to be asleep in the nude. Before Sephiroth fell asleep, Vincent spoke.

"I loved Lucretia. She was beautiful, brilliant, and made me feel whole. To see that it was all a trick hurt, but was needed. Her heart wasn't meant for me to hold, nor mine hers. I'm sure someone else will come along; I simply must remember that having a strong partner will only serve to make me better." Sephiroth had a feeling that there was a meaning behind the red eyed man's words, but he didn't want to find out what the meaning was. Even so, in the back of his mind, the General knew that his father was agreeing with Zackary.

************

Cloud got back around three in the morning. He had run two hours to the closest non-Nibelheim town and bought clothes and food. He had guessed at Sephiroth's sizes, but he had good instincts when it came to that kind of thing, so it was alright. Also, it had taken a while to collect everyone's favorite breakfast materials. Cloud looked around the house to see everyone asleep exactly where he thought they'd be. Vincent and Sephiroth had taken the separate beds, most likely after Vincent apologizing for not being there. Tseng was sprawled out on his bed, snoring lightly. Lastly, Aeris and Zack were curled up next to each other comfortably, happy smiles on their sleep-laded faces. The sight made Cloud smile lightly before going off to put everything away. He had dropped off everyone's clothes while checking up on them. A white, long-sleeved shirt and black leather pants were bought for Sephiroth. There was a black sleeveless shirt and black slacks for Vincent. For Zack, Cloud got grey cargo pants and a bright purple shirt. It would match the man's eyes brilliantly. Aeris would receive a yellow sun-dress, easy enough to move around in, but constricting enough not to get caught on everything. Tseng should be happy enough to receive another full suit.

At three-thirty, Cloud began breakfast. First, he made green tea for Vincent; positive that the man would awaken at any moment. Minutes later, Vincent emerged, taking a seat at the kitchen table this time before quietly thanking Cloud for the tea. And he meant it; it was his favorite thing to have in the mornings after all. With that done, Cloud began preparing Sephiroth's omelet, if what Zack said was anything to go by, the General would become conscious around four-fifteen, and he preferred an omelet with red and green peppers, mushrooms, onions, and cheese to begin the day. It was simple to make and set on a plate with a glass of black tea by the time Sephiroth reached the kitchen. Captivating green eyes stared at him curiously before taking a seat and beginning to eat. Cloud dutifully ignored the two presences before putting two biscuits and a bagel into the oven, starting gravy, and preparing pancake mix. Cloud usually started his meals from scratch, many years of being hunted had taught him not to trust anything that anyone else made. Well, that and the fact that he enjoyed the simple task of cooking. When Tseng appeared, his plain bagel was ready, along with a cup of tea, lightly sugared with a teaspoon of honey. The Turk nodded appreciatively before beginning his meal.

Cloud felt three pairs of eyes upon him as he finished fixing Aeris's two perfectly shaped and browned pancakes and lightly pouring blueberry syrup over them; Zack's breakfast of biscuits and gravy with sugared down, creamed coffee already on the table. After pouring the only female a glass of milk, Cloud left to wake the pair up. They were just as he had left them the first time and Cloud almost felt bad for waking them up, but not quite. He gently shook Zack's shoulder, getting a half-hearted swat for his attempts.

"Zack, Zack, wake up." He saw that his effort succeeded in waking Aeris up as teal eyes opened and she smiled sleepily at him. Cloud pursed his lips and tried a different approach. "Zack, if you don't get up right now than Sephiroth will cut you in half with Masamune." Cloud was aware that everyone in the kitchen could hear him, considering that this room and the kitchen were back to back.

Zack just gave another feeble swat and muttered, "Nu-uh, Sephy's gotta lemme live er the paperwork won't get done and he'll get raped…" Cloud took a moment to sort out what Zack had said before cocking an eyebrow. Aeris giggled at the mangled words as she tried to wiggle out of the First's grasp. A new idea popped into the blonde's head.

"Zack, wake up or Aeris will leave you for Tseng." That got him as Zack bolted up and looked around.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Cloud just smiled, informed them that breakfast was ready, and left.

***********

Zack followed his nose to the kitchen, it smelled wonderful. He had his left arm around Aeris's waist when he entered the kitchen, off-handedly noting that everyone else had new clothes as well. He was surprised to find how well they fit him, but even more to see that his favorite meal in the world was on the table. He practically flew to his seat before digging in. And _Gaia_ in was _amazing_. Every ingredient flared to life, mixing flavors with everything else. Zack moaned contentedly decided that he could now die happy. Aeris gave a delighted yum before thanking Cloud. Zackary Fair blushed, embarrassed at him lack of manners. Swallowing his food, Zack grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, thanks! This is delish, but you already know that, don't you? I'm sure you'll make a great wife one day!" The comment, however directed at Cloud it may have been, was said for Sephiroth. If there was one thing Zack knew, it was that Sephiroth was picky about what he ate and, judging by the cleaned plate, Cloud's concoctions measured up. The blonde didn't even pause before responding.

"You're welcome Zack, Aeris." Finally, Cloud seated himself in the last available chair: between Sephiroth and Aeris, a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. Tseng spoke next.

"So this is really real, isn't it?" Once again, Zack snorted.

"What tipped you off?" It was a sarcastic comment, but Zack really wanted to know what had finally convinced the young Turk. There was a slight moment of silence before Tseng answered.

"The clothes and the food. No one but myself know what I enjoy eating, and there's no other way you could know my size. Besides, you knew exactly how I like my tea, I can't even get it that perfect." Zack blinked in realization. That was true; everyone else had tea, with the exception of Aeris, and he had coffee. Perfect coffee. Everything that Zack had been given so far was made as if he had ordered it. One thing didn't fit though.

"But you weren't very close to Seph over there, how'd you know his size and what he likes to eat?" It didn't make any sense to the happy man.

"You told me what he enjoys eating and I guessed his sizes." Cloud answered with a simple shrug before turning to face the General. "They fit alright, don't they? I can always go back if they don't." The concern lacing Cloud's tone was evident to anyone who dealt with emotionless people on a daily basis. Which was everyone in the room, not including Aeris, but Zack was pretty sure she caught it too. That simple emotion made Zack all the more sure that Cloud Strife was meant to be with the General. Even knowing what the General may grow to do, the blonde _cared _about Sephiroth, and that was more than Zack could say for most. Still, Sephiroth had a fine point the night before. Spike wasn't in love, or even in lust, with the General and that would make things harder. And no matter what Sephiroth said, Zack could practically _see _the man falling, and falling hard, for the blonde in front of him. An unnamed emotion darted through Sephiroth's eyes before he responded.

"They're fine, thank you." Zack smiled at the General's reply. Rarely did Sephiroth mean it when he said thank you to anyone other than Zack, but he had meant that. And it was then that Zack knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Sephiroth would go along with his plan eventually. And what fun that would be! Finishing off the remnants of his meal and the delicious coffee, Zack grinned. This would be so much fun! They would go on double dates and Sephiroth would come to Zack for advice and he and Aeris would stop by the couple's house once a week to catch up and for a wonderful meal and-and- and- well, Zack was sure he could think of some other fun activities that they would participate in, just not yet. Glancing over at the ex and current Turks, Zack decided to let them get together on their own. There was no need for him to play Cupid for everyone. Besides, it looked as if Tseng was planning on taking things into his own hands.

"Sa…also, Vincent, you'll be rejoining the Turks." There was no cushioning under Cloud's words and Zack could hardly believe just how blunt the blonde was being.

*************

Vincent narrowed his eyes into a glare when the Third said that, but Cloud Strife blatantly ignored him and began to gather the dishes.

"Here, let me help with those." Miss Gainsborough offered kindly, preparing to stand up, but stopping when Cloud politely declined her offer.

"And why would I do that?" The ex-Turk wanted to remain an ex-Turk, no ifs ands or buts about it.

The blonde didn't even turn around when he answered, "You'll either go back to the Turks or be found by Hojo and get taken back to his lab to be experimented on." Chaos growled angrily at the idea of seeing the good doctor again, and Vincent had to fight to keep his mouth under his control. His demon was ready to fully agree with whatever the blonde had to say, whether he liked it or not. Cloud wasn't yet finished though. "Here's the catch. Your abundant sense of guilt might make you think that it's better that you're locked away being experimented on than free to wreak havoc in case Chaos escapes. Therefore, I'm taking away any say you might have otherwise had in the matter. You're joining the Turks. Your initiation, a fight against Tseng will begin in thirty minutes. You'll pin him. Only one witness is needed for a Turk initiation, and you'll have four. If you decide to flunk on purpose, I'll personally make sure that you never see your guns again. I expect Tseng to be on the ground within three minutes, if that. Do you understand?" Cloud's tone left no room for argument and Vincent found his head nodding in agreement without his consent. It was complete domination on the blonde's behalf and Vincent didn't like it. Chaos wanted, needed, to be dominated, and he wanted for his vessel to do the same, but Vincent didn't want that. Nay, Vincent wanted an equal. Though he knew that Strife meant nothing by it, it still bothered him.

*************

Sephiroth watched the glare form on Vincent's face with interest; wondering what was going through the elder man's head. Zack suddenly piped in, the glint in his eyes saying that it was another of his bright ideas.

"I think that once your little spar is done, Spike and Seph should fight!" Sephiroth's eyebrow rose marginally, but he didn't oppose the idea. Strife, however, did.

"I'm not fighting him."

"C'mon, Spike! I've been waiting to meet someone who could kick Sephiroth's ass for _years_!"And Sephiroth didn't doubt that Zack was being completely truthful. No hard feeling were harbored between them, but that didn't mean they didn't want to kill each other sometimes. But Strife wasn't budging.

"Then keep looking because it would be _me_ who got their ass kicked, not him." The dishes were all laid on the drying rack when the blonde said that, and Sephiroth looked at him.

"Why would that be? I thought you killed me not once, but thrice in the future?" Sephiroth questioned. If what he said were true, then Strife should have no problem beating him.

"No, I killed you once, and clones of you twice. Besides, that was when you were half out of your mind. When your coherent, like you are now, I'm as good as dead." It was a bored statement, and as much as Sephiroth liked the fact that he would remain undefeated, he wanted the fight. Nay, he wanted to see the determination flare in Sapphire blue orbs and the skin on skin contact that always came with fighting. Though he refused to look into why, exactly, he wanted said contact, Sephiroth was quickly becoming tired of resisting the urge to touch the blonde angel.

"I won't hurt you too badly, I promise. It's just one spar." Sephiroth kept his voice as smooth as silk while saying those words, praying to Gaia that it would work. As a small pout that he doubted Strife was aware his delectable lips were making appeared on the blonde's face, Sephiroth knew that his prayers had been answered.

"Just one spar. And no weapons, got it?" Green eyes glinted. That was even better.

"Of course." The words were like victory on his tongue, and the General couldn't wait.


	9. Chapter Nine

_**Author's Note:**__ Thank you guys/girls so much for upping my confidence like that! I was so scared that you guys were going to say that I needed to speed things up! Oh gosh, this almost makes me want to cry (From happiness)! I love you guys/girls! I'll try harder than ever now! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ If it were mine, would Sephiroth be dead? No._

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash. (Female/Male)_

Aeris stared at the huge, nearly empty room. It was built into the cliff-like mountain; under the house. In fact, it was probably bigger than the house itself. There was a large, circular rink that took up most of the room; it was clearly used for fighting. Three weapons were leaned against the wall opposite to them: a metal staff and two swords. One was fairly big but the other one was only about half the size of Zack's. She was no expert, but they looked awfully dangerous. Then again, Aeris wouldn't doubt that Cloud could make a flower into a weapon. Lost in thought, she failed to notice how her eyes wandered back to Zack's taller form. Last night had been comfortable, yet awkward at the same time. First, Zack had started talking about sex, and while she wasn't the stranger she wanted to be when it came to the subject, it still made her a bit uncomfortable. Of course, she had been too focused on the fact that Cloud would never fall in love to really blush. How tragic that would be: to never love anyone. And how horrible she would be: to abandon him like that. Cloud clearly grew to love Zack like an elder brother, and if what the blonde said was true; she would disregard the poor boy's pain to focus on her own. Oh, she felt horrible that she would do that, and even worse since Cloud was so nice to her anyways. He should hate her, not befriend her once more. Faintly, Aeris wondered just how much Cloud knew about her.

As if hearing her thoughts, sapphire eyes turned to the only female. She looked back at Cloud questioningly, fearfully, did he know? Shielded pools of blue stared for a moment before thin slices of skin covered them and Cloud nodded. Without opening his eyes, the time-traveler turned away. He did know; know that she had been used, soiled,_ raped_. It was a horrible memory. She had been sitting in the church, tending to her flowers, when they had come. Two big, burly men had stridden in reeking of alcohol. She hadn't had time to react before one of them had her arms and the other was reaching up her dress. Sure, Aeris had cried, screamed, and begged for them to stop, but nothing had worked. They had taken her purity, and she could do nothing about it. After a while, she had stopped struggling; letting them switch out and pound into her entrance. The pain, both physical and emotional, had been too much for her nineteen-year-old self to take. She had taken up fighting with a staff after that; just in case someone tried it again. They hadn't. He had been so afraid, if just for a moment, that Zack would try and touch her like that, but he hadn't. He had actually offered to sleep on the couch, but she wouldn't have been able to sleep knowing that she was depriving the nice man of a warm bed and declined.

He had kept his distance when they went to bed and waking up in his arm that morning had only gone to show that she had been right. The First Class was a cuddle-buddy, as her mother used to say. And his arms had been so warm and comforting, like he was trying to protect her even while she slept. For the first time since her deflowering, she had felt completely and totally safe. Aeris looked down ashamedly. Zack was too good for her, really. Calloused fingers placed themselves under her chin, slowly lifting her head up. Soon enough, teal eyes met violet, and Aeris was blinded by an overly bright smile.

"What's wrong, Babe?" His voice was kind and concerned, making Aeris melt on the spot. She smiled back.

"I'm fine, _thank you_." And _Gaia_ did she mean it; he actually _cared_! No, she wasn't worth his attentions, but if Gaia wanted them to be together than Aeris certainly wouldn't argue.

"Are you scared that you won't be able to protect yourself now that you're involved with such dangerous people? Mainly Spike and Seph, but Tseng, Vincent, and I are up there too! And we can teach you to protect yourself! …You know, if you want to. 'Cause I'm pretty good with a sword, and Seph rocks at hand-to-hand and Spike's…he's probably good at everything, actually. Then again, so is Seph…actually, you should probably take me out of the running, but I'd like to teach you if you'd let me…" Zack trailed of sweetly, embarrassed about him ramblings. Aeris had the strongest urge to kiss him; she couldn't help but act on it, but only on the cheek.

"I'd love it, Zack." She said through a giggle, and watched as Zack raised a hand to his cheek, smiling goofily. She really would love it; to spend time with him. Aeris turned her attention to the rink, where Vincent and Tseng were preparing to fight.

*************

Tseng watched Vincent with interest. He knew he wouldn't win the physical fight for dominance, not this time, but the emotional fight would be his for the taking. Tseng had come to the conclusion the night before that his little case of hero-worship would only hinder him; if he were always trying to impress his idol, he would end up getting himself killed. Banishing emotions would only, in the end, make them stronger, and Sephiroth was proof of such. Encouraging them would do the same, but it would be easier for his mind to process, so that's what he would do. Not for the first time, Tseng thanked Gaia that he wasn't Sephiroth. Understanding his emotions made things a lot less complicated in the long run. That being said, he would observe Vincent for a while longer to find out some of his likes and dislikes before thoroughly 'wooing' said man. And what fun he would have doing so.

Strife signaled for the fight to begin and Vincent had punched Tseng in the gut before the Turk leader had so much as thought about moving, but he wouldn't be so easily beaten. The arm which Vincent had punched Tseng with was quickly grabbed and pulled with enough force to yank the older man forward, sending him flying toward Tseng's waiting knee. The appendage slammed into Vincent's torso without mercy and a small gasp escaped his lips. Tseng knew it hurt but wasted no time thinking about it. A moment's hesitation would be all Vincent needed to gain the upper hand. And that thought had Tseng raising his knee to his chest before simultaneously kicking Vincent in the stomach and letting go of his arm. That turned out to be Tseng's first and last mistake when the ex-Turk immediately grabbed hold of his arm, dragging Tseng with him to the floor. In seconds, he was pinned with his hands twisted painfully behind his back. The Turk leader heard Strife count softly to three, unable to actually see him on account of his face being pressed into the cold, wooden floor, before he was let up. Their fight had lasted less than three minutes, just as the blonde had predicted. Yet, Tseng was nowhere near put off. He knew he had lost that particular spar before it had started, but they were they were failing to understand that Tseng was only just getting started. A smirk graced the younger man's features.

"Welcome to the Turks."

*************

Cloud looked at Sephiroth, who was dawned in nothing but his leather slacks and thin white dress shirt, and couldn't help but feel anxious. Seeing the General up and ready to fight had Cloud trapped in his memories once more. He remembered the silver haired man glaring at him with such ferocious hatred that Cloud had wanted to tear himself apart. It had been the same look that he had gotten at home, but this had been coming from one of Zack's precious people. For a while, he didn't know if he would have been able to hurt Zack like that. Once the Lieutenant gave the go-ahead, Cloud didn't hold back, but even then, the cruel eyes had hurt.

In the past, Cloud had been partially convinced that the malice people felt towards him was some sort of virus. It had fit. When Sephiroth went to Nibelheim, he came out hating Cloud. After the blonde had beaten the General, everyone who had seen got that same look; the look of fear and desperate hatred that wished him dead at every turn. Quickly, like the Nibel Mountain wolves were chasing after him, Cloud pulled himself back to the present. Yes, they were about to fight, but Sephiroth wasn't after his blood this time. Zack signaled with a one-handed wave for the fight to begin, and Cloud didn't need another sign. He took off at full speed, knowing that he could afford to go at nothing less. The General didn't disappoint when Cloud threw a sharp left hook, dodging the blow effortlessly. In no time at all, they were somersaulting across the room; trying again and again to land hits on the opposing body but rarely succeeding. What shocked Cloud was that he was actually having _fun_ fighting with Sephiroth. It took his mind off of everything that was happening. He had to concentrate so that the General wouldn't gain the upper hand, but he didn't have to worry about getting killed if he slipped up. Yet, at the same time, he didn't have to hold back in fear of hurting the taller man, and that lifted such a burden off of his shoulders. To do something like this, to just kick back and… _loosen up_ was something Cloud had only before dreamed of. And it felt amazing.

**************

Sephiroth had no idea how long they'd been at it. Maybe hours had passed, perhaps days went by. For all the General knew it could have been mere seconds that had passed since they had started fighting; not that it actually mattered. He could happily do this for the rest of eternity. After all, the beautiful blonde was a challenge if Sephiroth had ever had one. He was excellent at predicting moves, countering strategies, and all around warfare. Yes, Strife's techniques flowed like water through a stream: no hesitation or mistakes, no matter what Sephiroth did, Strife came up with n immediate counter. Never before had the General had to work so hard. All of Wutai hadn't been so hard to defeat, for they thought like normal humans and panicked if losing became a possibility.

In the end though, the General had gotten what he wanted. Strife's eyes were alight with concentration, determination, and even a sliver of happiness. Sephiroth was glad that it was only a spar because he was sure that the blonde would have forced his eyes blank against a real opponent. Out of nowhere, Strife pulled a round house kick, sending Sephiroth flying into the wall. Brilliant. It had been perfectly aimed and delivered, but Sephiroth wasn't about to let him get away with it. Deciding to take a page out of Strife's book, he flipped to his feet and rushed at said blonde, quickly feinting a left hook before sweeping his foot under the physically younger male. It efficiently knocked him off balance, giving Sephiroth the opportunity to pin him. Ah, he was beautiful, panting only slightly with his cheeks just barely flushed from the effort of fighting off the General. Sephiroth secured his legs over Strife's ankles while his hands curled over the soft skin of the Third's wrists. It was a delicious sensation, the skin-on-skin contact, just as every blow they had exchanged had been. Perhaps his inner masochist was finally coming out? All he knew was that the blonde beneath him looked good enough to eat. A smirk graced normally blank lips. Every inch of beautifully tanned skin was crying out for the General's attention, practically begging to be marked. Was it really just sex-drive that had Sephiroth craving the blonde like a drug? He wasn't so sure anymore.

Obviously seeing the mentally-younger man's distraction, Cloud snatched one foot out from beneath the General, throwing his weight to the left and proficiently switching their positions. Now, the silver-haired male found himself on the cold, hardwood floor with a blonde deity straddling his abdomen. Long, lean legs pinned him at the thighs while strong hands fastened his wrists to the ground just above his head. The General had stretched Strife and himself out, and that had been his mistake, but the blonde kept his body curled, prepared for anything Sephiroth might throw his way. All traces of the smirk vanished. Damn. He certainly didn't want to lose the spar, but he had no strong urges to knock the blonde off either. Besides, if Strife moved even an inch southward his undeniably nice ass would brush up against the General's only just controlled problem. He was barely managing to keep himself from becoming hard in such a provocative position.

"I thought you said that you couldn't beat me?" Sephiroth questioned. Strife had said it like he didn't stand a chance against the General, and yet here Sephiroth was, pinned to the floor. Cloud tilted his head cutely, not loosening his grip even a little – and the General doubted he would until Zack counted them off – before answering.

"I forgot to take into account the fact that I know most of your moves, but that balanced out with your strategy. It's extremely hard to catch onto, as expected." The blonde said it all like he was reading facts from a text book, not giving himself any credit at all. Still, the fact that Strife managed to catch onto his stratagem at all was astounding in its own right. It meant that he was a fast learner. Well, it did that, and it made Sephiroth wonder if he learned so swiftly everywhere. Like in the bedroom, for example. He had no knowledge there, but he would catch on quickly, and if he didn't, than Sephiroth would have the pleasure of teaching him again and again. At least, he hoped so.

Zack finally counted to three and Cloud let go of Sephiroth, standing smoothly before offering a helping hand. The General accepted the presented aid, if only for one last blissful touch.

**************

Cloud couldn't believe just how exhilarating it had been to fight Sephiroth. Truly, it was the most fun that the blonde had had in a long time. Maybe they could do it again some time? He sure hoped so. Zack started speaking rapidly; extremely excited about the spar he had just witnessed.

"Wow! You beat him! You beat Seph! I've never seen anyone beat Seph before! That was amazing! It was more amazing then your food; which was, once again, _amazing_! How did you cook that, anyway, and why? Couldn't you have just made pancakes for everyone and been done? Why waste the time fixing up our favorites?" Cloud could only stare as he tried to map out the jumbled spill of words and quick change of topic. Zack was, as per usual, overly exuberant about everything. Faintly, the blonde wondered how he had gone from fighting to food, but – realizing that Zack's mind wasn't really something he wanted to delve into –Cloud stopped himself and answered.

"I did it partially because I wanted to, but mostly for compensation, I suppose." Slowly, Cloud pulled on his boots. "I pulled you all into this because I was too selfish to try and do it on my own. You all die because you somehow or another came in contact with me. That could very well happen again. I suppose, with that knowledge, you can leave now. Forget all about it and avoid me like CALAMITY, if you will. It's your decision." Cloud finished just as softly as he had started, expecting Sephiroth and Tseng and even possibly Zack and Aeris to leave. Vincent was the only one Cloud knew would stay, if only because he had nothing better to do. Yet, no one did.

"Sorry, Cloudy, but we're your friends, and you can't get rid of us that easily! Besides, you're just too adorable to pass up, you little cutie, you!" Zack was cooing at Cloud by the end of his little speech while a calloused hand was busy ruffling up blonde locks. The golden-haired male could feel a light pink tinge crawling up his neck as he gave Zack a small smile. Said man grinned back.

"So…what now?" Tseng questioned airily.

"Well, you aren't planning on going insane, right?" Cloud asked Sephiroth quietly. The silver male gave him a bored stare in return and Cloud took it as a negative before going on. "Then let's go destroy Jenova."

*************

Tseng looked over the edge of the cliff-like mountain with interest when something occurred to him. "Strife, who built this place?" And it was an excellent question. Who had taken enough time to carry all of the supplies needed for a house all the way up the side of a fairly steep mountain? Not to mention things like the beds, couch, and baby grand. It must have taken a small army just to get it all up.

"I did." The answer was short and sweet.

"Why? _How_? Surely you don't mean to tell me that you carried a _piano_ up this mountain all by yourself." It was a ridiculous notion which Tseng refused to believe.

"I needed a place to get away to, and no, I took the piano apart first. The rest of the furniture was carried though. It took a long while and a lot of rest stops." And Strife didn't seem perturbed by the fact that he had known how to build a house before the age of sixteen. Since the house couldn't have travelled back in time and the blonde had been in Midgar for the past year, it should be a fairly safe estimate.

It seemed Lieutenant fair came to the same conclusion as he asked, "When'd you do that?"

"I started the house when I was ten, finished it when I was fourteen, and furnished it up until I left around two years ago," was the answer received just as they reached the bottom of the unnamed mountain. The rest of the trek to Nibelheim was spent in silence as Tseng waited to be proved correct about Cloud's family and town. Though Tseng wasn't from a small town, he had been to enough of them to know that the people stuck together like glue; _especially_ families.

As soon as they entered Nibelheim, Tseng was proved wrong. Cruel glares and perverted jeers were thrown at Strife left and right as the blonde calmly ignored them. One man actually went so far as to spit at the blonde's feet, the saliva just barely missing his shoes! And others were almost more audacious by apologizing to Tseng and the others; expressing their sympathy at being stuck with Strife, never Cloud, for so long. It was sickening how they treated the blonde as if he were scum. Once more, the Turk leader saw Aeris calming Zack down, holding him back. Tseng could now see why. The fuckers were acting like Strife had murdered their children and raped their lovers! After a while, Ta beautiful blonde and a pretty brunette could be seen striding towards them.

The blonde stopped General Sephiroth by laying a hand on his chest, obviously in a sensual manner. Tseng had to withhold a smirk as she hit on the man, not knowing that neither his body nor his mind would react to her…_feminine_ wiles. The brunette, however, had picked the only straight man, besides Vincent, in their group. She latched herself onto Lieutenant Fair's other arm, batting her eyelashes prettily as the man tried his hardest to brush her off without being rude. What caught his attention was the General's conversation.

"Why, hello, _General_. You're awfully early for dinner, aren't you? Or did you want some _early desert_? Because that can be arranged, _believe me_." Her voice would have been seductively tempting on any straight man, but the General looked at her with well hidden distaste.

"We're on our way to the mako reactors, and need to get there as soon as we can Mrs.-" He was interrupted by the blonde's velvety voice.

"Please, it's _Jennifer_, and I'm single." There were whispered promises in the voice as her left hand drew intricate designs on the General's chest. If it weren't for the fact that he had a reputation to keep and she was presenting no threat, Tseng was sure that Sephiroth would have had Masamune at her throat by now. His voice had chilled a few degrees when he responded.

"_Miss Row_, kindly _refrain_ from touching me. We need to be on our way to the reactors." He gently, well as gently as the irritated General could, pushed her hands out of his personal space.

"Oh, I'll refrain for as long as I can. Please, go take care of business. Dinner will be ready at eight, and Tifa's a wonderful cook. I'm sure that ungrateful thing who likes to call himself my son will show you the way, won't you?" The last question was spat at Strife, and Tseng hated putting two and two together. He didn't want that to be Cloud's mother, not such a disgusting woman. But any hopes that Tseng might have had were crushed as Strife answered.

"Of course I will, Ma'am." There was polite submission lacing his tone, but she just sneered at him.

"Is that the tone you used when you slept you way to SOLDIER? The way you got so many people to so much as think about touching a body as ugly as yours? It is, isn't it?" Tseng took a step forward at the malicious words which Strife's mother had spat. That was more than uncalled for; she was his Gaia-damned _mother_, for Planet's sake! A hand on his shoulder froze him, but Vincent just shook his head in a negative motion. This wasn't their battle to fight. Strife answered softly.

"I did not use my body to get to Third Class, Ma'a-" but he didn't finish as the pretty brunette cut him off.

"Like Hell you didn't! We all know you're nothing but a low-down whore, now drop the high and mighty attitude!" Her nose was raised high in the air as her somewhat high but still pleasant voice attacked Strife's virtues. Tseng didn't think she had any room to talk with the way she was clinging to the First Class. The blonde male didn't respond and his mother stepped in for him.

"Now, now, Tifa, we have a lot to do tonight, so why don't we let the boys go off and play? We'll see you all at eight!" Without another word, they were gone. Tseng could only stare at where they used to be before saying the only thing his mind could come up with.

"Shit…" It was a weak apology, but it was the only thing he could come up with.

Zack just looked at the Turk leader before a quick, "We told you so," escaped his mouth. Strife quietly ignored them and restarted the walk to the mako reactor.

*************

Sephiroth could hear a sweet, gentle voice calling to him from inside the reactor. It spoke of how long it had been waiting for him to come, how he was the perfect son and how much it loved him. Somehow, there was a distinctly female tint to the toneless music which made up the disembodied voice. He opened the doors, heading past numerous doors to reach the voice, to reach his mother. The General wasn't sure how he knew where she was, but he did, and she wanted him so badly. His poor mother was hurt, and it was his job to help her. A soft hand on his bicep stopped Sephiroth from going through another doorway, and he wanted to jerk away. She needed him _now_!

"That's her, and she's lying." Strife's voice was soft and understanding as he tightened his grip, almost as if he knew what Sephiroth was thinking. That's when the General realized something: no matter how alluring his mother's voice sounded, it was nowhere near as wonderful as Strife's. That's when his memory came back to him. In the future, he would go crazy, and he would do so because of the voice. This time, he could make a choice. But his thoughts blurred as the voice raised in volume, stopping whatever might have been running through his head. The promises of love and happiness suddenly outweighed sanity and memories not his own of pain and loneliness flew through his mind. Why wouldn't he want to aid his mother? She cared for him, and he had to protect her. At any cost. Sephiroth tried to move again and the hand pulled him back slightly. When had that gotten there, and who _dared_ to try and stop him from saving his dearest mother!? The General jerked his head around with a growl, immediately trapping himself in large, sad, blue eyes.

"Stop now or I'll be forced to stop you myself. Please, _don't_ _make me stop you_." The last sentence, nay, plea, was filled with horribly sad emotions that tore at Sephiroth's heart. Even if he couldn't hear his mind, he could hear his heart, and it was telling him that if he went against anything the blonde had just said then he might as well kill himself. Somehow, saving his mother would hurt Strife, and Sephiroth couldn't bring himself to do that. His mother was calling for him, begging for him to come to her, to save her, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The only things that mattered were the tragically blue orbs that drilled into his very soul. He would stay. For Strife's sake, he would stay.

Slowly, Sephiroth forced himself to nod, and for his efforts, he got a caring smile.

"Vincent, Aeris, stay with Sephiroth. Tseng, Zack, come with me." Strife's words were stern as he pulled Sephiroth farther away from the door. His mother screeched in protest, but the General could barely hear it. He was still spellbound by the emotion-filled sapphires. When Strife's hand released Sephiroth, Vincent's replaced it, steering him towards a chair. As soon as he was seated, the blonde man turned and went through the door which he was denied entrance to, Tseng and Zackary following closely. And the moment Sephiroth lost eye contact the voice came back at full force. Only by replaying that sad voice and picturing those entrancing eyes did the General manage to stop himself from following the trio, but he wasn't sure how long he could hold out. Without the proof in front of him, Sephiroth was beginning to doubt his blonde had existed at all. He was beginning to distrust that anything other than his mother and himself existed. Did anything else exist? Within moments, his mentality was gone to the sweet promises of Jenova and only the color blue tied him down Sephiroth couldn't be sure what it meant, but every time he thought of going to his mother, the blue would invade his mind and his heart would scream for him to stop. Yet, this scream of pain and promised regret got weaker every time, and he didn't think it would hold out much longer.

Feeling another urge to go to his mother, and having only a quick flash of blue to stop him, Sephiroth stared at the wall. No, it definitely wouldn't keep him there for too much longer. Soon, he would be united with his mother, and nothing would stop him then.

**************

Cloud knew that he didn't have much time as he quickly located Jenova, ordering Zack and Tseng to start destroying all of the other failed creations. Sephiroth wouldn't stay put for long, Hell, Cloud was surprised that he stopped the first time. Whatever had helped the General fight off Jenova, Cloud was thankful for it. Still, who knew how long it would last? He had heard the voice too; promising love and telling him to bring her perfect son to her, that he was still important, even with the flaws he carried. All he had to do was bring her perfect child to her and they could all be happy. It made sense that the alien would scream when he did the exact opposite. She screamed again when Cloud punched through her glass, allowing some of the mako to drain. A quick kick with his steel-lined boots had the glass falling apart. He ignored the pain in his hand as the mako-petrified Cetra fell from her container. Physically destroying her wouldn't work, it would only set her soul free to wreak havoc on the world more directly. She would control a live person then, gain a stronger control over Sephiroth. No, he had to force her soul back into the Lifestream somehow. Another, quieter voice joined the first, but this one sounded like another person, not like an attachment to his own mind.

This voice actually spoke; it spoke in a sweet language which weaved in and out of existence, nothing but a jumbled mess of words by the end. Yet it all made perfect sense, and Cloud knew somehow that it was Mother Gaia who was making contact with him, if only just this once.

"_**Purify. Mine. Back to me. ULTIMATE. Mine. Back to me. Protector. Mine. Back to me. Purify." **_Mother Gaia was repetitive and had a coaxing tone floating about her words, letting Cloud know that he had a choice but this was the better one; it carried none of the insistence that Jenova's did. Without hesitation, Cloud put his hands to the mako-encrusted corpse, allowing it to slowly melt into his skin. _Gaia_, it hurt even worse than before, and Cloud knew why. Not only did he have unwelcome mako coursing through his veins, but an extremely violent soul as well. Jenova's soul would run through him, Cloud knew, until it was over and Gaia was able to extract her in one piece. This would save so many, but it _hurt_. Physically, mentally, the pain was overwhelming. And through it all, Jenova was shouting for her perfect son to save her.

***************

Sephiroth stared at the red-eyed man in front of him. Who was he? The General was sure that he knew the male from somewhere. It was important too, but no matter how hard Sephiroth tried, he couldn't remember why. Either way, the man was in his way, in the way of his mother, and that just wouldn't do. Wasting no time, Sephiroth drew Masamune, prepared to take out anyone in his way, no matter who they were. It was only a matter of time before he would join his mother, that much was sure.

*************

Vincent had a pounding headache, probably from Jenova considering it appeared as soon as he had stepped near the reactor. That was the least of his concerns; however, seeing as Sephiroth had unsheathed his sword, which was the largest that Vincent had ever seen. Sure, he had noticed it in its sheathe the night before, but Sephiroth had been on his side then. Damn it, was he really going to lose his son just after meeting him? Could he? The hybrid wasn't too sure. Sephiroth looked ready to kill, and Aeris was frozen in place, most likely from fear. The General rushed at Vincent, nearly slicing the older man in half with his first swing.

"Sephiroth, you don't want to do this, Strife is counting on you to stay sane while he's gone." Vincent was hoping desperately that mentioning Strife would knock some sense into the General; it didn't. Faint recognition had flown through emerald orbs before the General's eyes hardened.

"Believe me, I want to do this. You're the enemy of Mother, and for that, you will perish." Even the General's voice sounded less sane, Vincent noticed off-handedly. When Sephiroth swung again, Vincent ducked and made up his mind. He had wanted so much to have a son, and now he did. It would way too heavily on his soul, killing said man, and Vincent didn't think he could take that. Praying that Cloud would forgive him after everything ended, Vincent stilled himself for what was sure to be the first and last blow.

*************

Cloud stood on shaky legs, Jenova's soul causing uproar in his soul. His body wasn't made to harbor two souls At once, and though he could already feel Mother Gaia beginning to steal Jenova away, neither the pain nor the screeching, yet somehow still lovely, voice lessened. He ignored all of this, for his instincts told him that something was wrong, very wrong. Slowly, Cloud limped past the broken chambers and the somewhat human bodies which littered the concrete floor. Faintly, he noted that Zack and Tseng were still destroying things on the opposite sides of the room. They weren't who he had to worry about. Jenova's wailing song became louder and more distracting with every step he took, but he had to press on: for the sake of his friends. The blonde reached the door in time to see Vincent's eyes resign themselves to a different sort of fate: death. With quick movements, Sephiroth raised Masamune, preparing to strike the half breed. In the back of Cloud's suddenly numb mind, Jenova cheered for her perfect son.

**************

Vincent watched as Strife came into his peripheral vision. It was too late for help; that much he knew. No matter how fast the blonde had been before, he was clearly hurt now and wouldn't be able to intercept Sephiroth in time. Besides, there was nothing to intercept him with; no weapons, or even weapon like objects, between the General and the Blonde. Crimson eyes watched passively as the blade came nearer; it was out for blood, and blood it got. The half-breed had been as prepared as a man could possibly get for the wound, but when metal pierced skin, crimson eyes widened. As soon as the crimson liquid began to spill, Vincent's headache vanished. He barely noticed that though, as the hybrid realized that he should have held out for a while longer. If he had, than the white marble floors would never have been stained red.

*************

Sephiroth's eyes trained themselves on the small drop of crimson liquid trailing down Masamune. The voice was gone. His mother, no, Jenova, was gone, and he barely noticed. He had brashly lost control and tried to stab Vincent, and for the first time in seventeen years, Sephiroth had missed his target. Instead of skewering his father with the overly-large sword, he had hit Strife. The blonde had jumped in front of Vincent, and small hands grabbed Masamune by the blade bloodying beautifully tanned skin. That hadn't been enough to stop the force of the hit though, and a good three inches of Masamune had entered the blonde's stomach. No fatal wounds were present, but the fact didn't change that if Strife were any other man, he'd be dead. The thought had Sephiroth's mind reeling as he pulled Masamune out of Cloud. Metal clanked loudly on marble as Sephiroth dropped his sword, Strife was _smiling_.

"I thought you weren't going to lose it this time…" He shouldn't have been smiling; Sephiroth didn't deserve such a gesture. The weak attempt at a joke had Aeris rushing over, ordering Strife to the floor. Sephiroth took no interest in the glowing green light that emanated from her palms, only the color which returned to the blonde's face. That shouldn't have happened. Sephiroth was stronger than that, wasn't he? How could he have hurt his blonde like that; surrendered to the voice? Strife had warned him not to listen to it; _begged_ him to keep hold of himself, and he had disregarded it. Well, never again. Never would he hurt Stri- _Cloud _again, nor would anyone else, if the General had anything to say about it. And he did. He had a say in everything, and this was no exception. As Miss Gainsborough began on his palms, Sephiroth allowed himself to relax slightly. If the stomach wound was healed than he had a much higher chance of survival, not that the wound was fatal in the first place. He was just worried.

Slowly, green eyes blinked. Since _when_ did Sephiroth get _worried_? Yet, as he watched Cloud talking lightly to Aeris, he found that he couldn't label the annoying emotion as anything else. As much as he hated to admit it, perhaps Zackary was on to something. With that slightly unsettling revelation, Sephiroth looked out the window. It was almost six in the afternoon, according to the sun. Immediately, the General tensed up again. They still had dinner with the Rows.

************

Jennifer Row looked at the clock, there were only a few things left to do, and Tifa could take care of them. Seeing that she had an entire hour left before her guests were to arrive, Jennifer decided to take a shower. In the comfort of her bathroom, she slipped off her clothes, folding them neatly before stepping into the warm water. It felt so good to just relax, and Jennifer smiled as she thought about everything, her mind eventually wandering to the gorgeous General. He liked her, she was sure. How couldn't he? And she certainly liked him back. Slowly, her slim fingers rose to fondle her breast, pinching her nipple slightly. _Oh_, that felt good, and it was making her hot on the inside as well as out. She could imagine the General's musky scent and hard chest, even better, his hard length. She could practically imagine the General dominating her bed, whispering dirty things into her ear while stretching her with long, nimble fingers.

The thought of his fingers inside of her only served to make Jennifer wet, and she decided to make her fantasy more life-like, slowly trailing her free hand down her body before plunging two fingers of her own deep into her hot crevice. _Oh Gaia_, it felt _marvelous_. She imagined that her fingers were Sephiroth's cock, and began scissoring herself, adding a third finger for good measure. Her moans were barely stifled as she accidently brushed against her G-spot. It wouldn't do to have Tifa knowing of her activities. Quickening her pace, Jennifer began subconsciously bucking back against her fingers, fucking herself by every meaning of the word. Only after a particularly hard thrust coupled with a tight pinch to her left breast did her womanly fluids spill from their rightful place inside of her, leaving Jennifer biting her lip so hard that it bled to stop herself from screaming out. Sensitivity ran in the Row line, and she was no exception. Ever so slowly, she pulled her fingers out, the warm water cleaning them immediately, and began to wash her hair. _Gaia_, she couldn't wait to have that man in her bed.


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Author's Note:**__ I was looking through my reviews, and someone corrected me saying that only men have prostates. I would like to thank that person for the correction and correct them back. __Women __**do**__ have prostate glands, previously called paraurethral or Skene's glands, connected to the distal third of the urethra in the pre-vaginal space. I wasn't sure if they did or not myself, but fourteen different health sites said that they did, so… I don't mean to be rude and really do appreciate the criticism. Thank you. And __**FifthDayOfMay**__'s review also highly uplifted my spirits. I love long reviews! Thanks to everyone that reviews, by the way. No one gives you all enough credit! Also, for the people who are discontented with the __non__ Zack/Aeris, Sephiroth/Cloud, and Tseng/Vincent scenes, it's really more of practice for me than anything else. I've never written a sex scene before and am trying to get it down. If this is too personal, don't do it, but if you all wouldn't mind telling me how I'm doing so far with said sex-ish scenes, I'd appreciate it._

_**Disclaimer:**__ *Holds up banana* This is mine. *Holds up rights to Final Fantasy VII* This is not._

_**Warning:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash._

Sephiroth watched Strife examine his well-toned, shirt deprived stomach. Masamune had left a mark a few inches above the blonde's belly button, as well as on his palms, but that wasn't what had the General staring. Cloud had marks all down his tanned torso, some were big while others were not. All were faded, and only the mako coursing through his veins, therefore his eyes, allowed Sephiroth to see them from his distance. There was little doubt in the General's mind on who had given the boy such scars. No matter what, they had come from the village, and Sephiroth's blood coursed through him faster as a repercussion of his anger.

The boy had been sixteen – probably younger by the looks of most of the scars – and the thought of killing an innocent child curdled Sephiroth's blood. No matter what the orders were, the General had never attacked someone without provocation, and Cloud had been nothing less than respectful to the town-people. Fuck, he would kill them. And Zack would help him, judging by the younger man's expression. Tseng was too far – a few yards – away and had too little mako in his bloodstream to see the scarring, leaving him clueless to the situation. Vincent had rushed to back to the little house to retrieve a new pair of clothes and two wet washrags for Cloud. It made sense for Vincent to go, considering that he was the fastest, next to Cloud and Sephiroth and without Chaos – whom Cloud had briefly described earlier, telling them that it wasn't his place to say. Also, he was much less noticeable then the incredibly famous General and the town-hated, not to mention injured, Third Class. May a kind soul pray for the small village of Nibelheim and every bastard and bitch sitting quietly within; General Sephiroth wasn't happy.

*************

Zack watched as Vincent entered the dusty reactor where he had left them, immediately zooming in on the blonde's old wounds. By the slight, downward curl of his lip, the Fist Class guess that he was quickly coming to the same conclusion that the two physically elder SOLDIERs had. Cloud had not only been mentally abused, but physically as well. The thought had Zack on edge, and he wondered to what extent this abuse had gone. Did it stop at a broken bone and a few cuts when he was bad, or had the sick fools been aroused by the broken blonde and taken it a step further? Sure, Cloud had _said_ he was a virgin, but who wanted to admit to being raped? In Zack Fair's book, rape was worse than murder, especially that of someone who couldn't, or in Spike's case, _wouldn't _defend themselves. Without missing a beat, the hybrid threw the bundle of cloth at Cloud.

The blonde tossed a rag at Sephiroth, who caught it out of reflex, and told him to clean off Masamune. Not waiting to see whether or not the General would follow his orders or not, Cloud began to wash the red fluid off of his freshly wounded area. Either not noticing or not caring, Zack was betting on the latter, about who all was watching him, Cloud stripped the rest of the way to his boxers. Stopping to clean off a bit of blood that he had missed the first time, Zack couldn't help but think that Cloud would make an excellent porn star. Every move was innocently sensuous and if Zack didn't know any better, he would say that the witch of a mother was right when she said that he was half Incubus. It was a ludicrous idea, but no one in the room dared look away from the entrancing sight, in case it wasn't there when they looked back. Hell, Zack was as straight as a man could be and still found the blonde male attractive. He had nearly the same, 'look at me, I'm gorgeous' air as Sephiroth, but his had more innocence than the former's. It was as if he had no idea that he was attractive, and suddenly, Zack realized that he didn't.

It made sense now, why Strife was a virgin; it wasn't just that he didn't want to sleep with someone he didn't love, it was also that he didn't want to do that with someone that didn't love him back. And with how his mother had spoken to him, he probably believed that no one could accomplish such a feat. In fact, Zack was willing to bet his pants that the beautiful Cloud Strife thought himself ugly. Not only that, but he was also ready to bet that Cloud didn't even notice the lust-filled gazes constantly turning towards him. I wasn't that he didn't care if Sephiroth and his mother got together, he just _didn't notice_! Oh, wow, this was big, but it had yet to be tested. Violet eyes landed on Sephiroth, who looked like a predator watching its prey as Strife pulled on his black cargo pants, and the First's lips twitched upwards in a smirk. Perfect.

"Hey, Spike, Seph wants to ask you something!" Zack half-shouted. A silver eyebrow arched, but the General's emerald orbs didn't stray from the chocobo. In fact, when blue eyes connected with green, the predatory stare didn't hide behind a shield, it only got stronger. It looked like Sephiroth was coming to terms with his position in Zack's family plan. If the blonde didn't notice that look, than Zack was correct; if he did, then there were other explanations. Yet, as Zack expected, Cloud did nothing but tilt his head to the side in a clueless fashion, looking at the General with shielded curiosity. Sephiroth didn't move and Zack was slightly surprised that Cloud wasn't pinned under the man already.

There was a pause before, "Zack, are you sure it's not you who wanted to ask something?" Cloud's voice was soft and observant as we looked away from the General, beginning to pull a grey, form-fitting t-shirt on over gravity defying blonde locks. And Zack just smiled an I-know-something-you-don't-know smile before responding.

"Positive, Cloudie!" Zack held onto Aeris as he said this, not bothered in the least by how the blonde promptly ignored his words, seeing that Zack was probably lying. And the Second-in-Command just watched his chocobo until seven forty-five, when they left for the Row's house; leaving only a pile of bloody clothes and a small pool of said liquid as a testimony to their presence.

***********

Cloud looked at the radiant yellow house in front of him with hidden contempt. It held no fond memories for him; bringing back things which he would rather not remember. Though he was not afraid to face his family, he was worried about what his old, yet newly acquired, friends would think once the two women were finished tarnishing his name. In the back of Cloud's mind, he knew that there was nothing to worry about, but years of being told just how good he _wasn't_ had insecurities rooted deep within his mind. What if his mother was _right_ and he really wasn't worth the dirt he walked upon? What if his companions saw that and decided that he wasn't worth their time? He couldn't handle hiding from the only people he had truly trusted; running from their hatred filled eyes. Sure he could try to find Barrett, Cid, Yuffie and the others, but it who was to say that they wouldn't have the same reactions? Besides, it simply wouldn't be the same.

Deciding that if they were going to hate him then he might as well give them a reason for it, Cloud pushed Sephiroth in front of him; motioning for the taller man to knock. Zack laughed at his action while Sephiroth merely frowned before marching up to the dreaded door and knocking. Well, better the intimidating General than a fluffy blonde, right? The group of three men and one woman followed behind Sephiroth like an ameba, taking no particular shape or form. Bright orange-painted wood swung open before the General's hand could return to his side. They were expected.

***********

Vincent looked at the overly-bright house with bored distaste. Not only were the Row's disgustingly impudent, they had bad taste as well. Not for the first time, Vincent thanked Gaia for his ever-so-slightly feminine figure. It had gotten him out of many messes and this was no different. Both women were attracted to strong, obviously muscular men; setting their sights on Zack, who showed off his well-muscled arms off to the world, and Sephiroth, who…well, he was _Sephiroth_. If the whispers not about Cloud were to be believed then his son had made quite a name for himself.

The point was, Vincent wasn't looking forward to the dinner ahead. In fact, he would even go so far as to say that he was dreading the event. The beautiful yet obviously disturbed mother of Strife led them to a just as horribly decorated dining room. Bright, puffy flowers tried to fill the room with their sugary fragrance; at the same time clashing violently with the food's odor, efficiently irritating Vincent's sharp senses with a sickeningly sweet scent. Vincent fought to keep his nose from scrunching up, he _was not impressed_.

Everyone sat down at the fairly large table; Sephiroth was seated at the head with Miss Row on his right and Strife on his left. Next to Miss Row was Miss Lockhart, and next to her was Zack. Zack didn't look too happy with the seating arrangements, but at least he had Aeris sitting beside of him, at the other head of the table. Tseng took a seat beside the Cetra and Vincent, finally, seated himself between Tseng and Strife. He didn't have to wait long until the real fun started.

************

Sephiroth nearly snarled when he felt a light hand on his knee, a hand coming from his _right_. It wouldn't have mattered so much if _Cloud_ had tried such a thing, but the blonde bitch on his other side had no such right. Without hesitation, Sephiroth reached down and pushed her hand off, giving a slight glare of warning before serving himself some food. She giggled lightly before immediately replacing her hand, higher this time. He resisted the urge to growl. Couldn't she take a hint? Suddenly, the Tifa girl spoke up.

"So…how did you nice, handsome men end up stuck with Strife over there?" Her voice was light and mocking as she gestured rudely to Cloud with her fork, refusing to release Zackary from her other hand. Faintly, Sephiroth felt sorry for his Second-in-Command, but the sympathy immediately vanished when he was reminded of his own situation by a hand slowly creeping up his thigh. Zack answered her.

"He's my best friend, besides Sephy, and I wouldn't give him up for the world. You know, it's really him that's stuck with us." He was nearly growling as he said theses words, clearly implying that they actually liked Cloud. But Tifa failed to catch on as she laughed, like it was a funny joke.

"_That_ whore!? Nice one…" She paused to giggle some more, catching her breath while she did, before continuing. "We all know that he fucked his way to where he is today, probably bribing anyone smart enough not to touch his disgusting body. That's probably why you fine men are here, right? Because you found out about his cheating his way up the social ladder? Oh it is, isn't it!? And don't worry about reputation, in this town, Strife is just what his name suggests: a strife. Everybody hates him here, so there's no need to defend the freak." Tifa finished with a smile, obviously expecting a few relieved sighs and perhaps a kiss from her newfound 'love'. Silence was the only response she received until an unhappy Cetra decided to speak her mind.

"No, we actually _like_ him! He's nice and sweet and if you paid attention to him without screaming in his face _every two seconds_ then I'm sure you'd see that!" Aeris's voice had raised two octaves by the end of her short rant and Zackary grinned at her. Cloud's step-sister didn't seem to find it as brilliant as the First Class did, however, and she stuck her nose into the air while sneering out an answer.

"And what would _you _know, huh? You're just some bitch that Zack hired for the night!" Tifa stood up angrily, forcing Zack up with her, and Sephiroth pushed what little food he had gotten around his plate. Zackary was right; he really was too picky about his foods. Still, next to Cloud's breakfast this was dog food, and that had been nothing but an omelet! This time, Sephiroth's lips really did curl into a snarl; she had moved her hand so far up that her fingers were almost in contact with his zipper before squeezing. He supposed it was her way of reassuring him. With lethal speed, Sephiroth stood. Seeing the General stand evidently gave Aeris some courage, and she left her chair as well.

"_Excuse me_, but Zack is my _fiancé_!" In a way, the statement was true. Sephiroth knew that Zack wasn't about to disagree with her anytime soon, but the brunette wench certainly would.

"_Really_ now? And where's your _ring_?" Aeris's bare left hand felt the sting of Tifa's cruel remark.

"We're getting it cleaned. Now kindly _let go of me_!" Zack jerked his arm away as he spat the last words, wrapping his arm around Aeris's waist a moment later. Tifa was _seething_, and turned the blame on Cloud.

"_You_! This is_ your _fault! You brainwashed them somehow, _didn't you_!? By Gaia, you're such a freak! No one could ever like you!" Her words turned into a screech; furious brown eyes trained on Cloud, who had slowly stood when she first began her angry spew of blaming words. Sephiroth, quickly getting tired of the repetitive game, decided to change things to his liking. Not a moment too soon, a devious idea entered his mind. The General almost smirked. With deliberate slowness, Sephiroth firmly curled his arm around the blonde's slim waist, pulling to smaller body against his own. It fit perfectly.

"I like him quite a bit, to tell you the truth." Sephiroth made sure to say these words right against Cloud's neck, earning a pleasant shiver for his troubles. And that got Jennifer out of her chair, leaving only Vincent and Tseng sitting quietly at the table, the younger of the two taking an elegant sip of his wine while watching the clearly amusing show.

"Strife, stop it right now!" Miss Row yelled, desperate to keep Sephiroth 'hers'. Seeming to come back to his senses, Cloud tried to move away, but the General tightened his grip in warning. How would he get it through Miss Row's head that he liked _Cloud_? The faint shock of fully realizing his emotions came and went quickly as Cloud turned his large blue eyes questioningly to Sephiroth. How did most people show they cared? Without a second thought, the General leaned down and pressed his lips to Cloud's. The blonde in his arms immediately froze, and Sephiroth smirked into the chaste kiss.

Just as swiftly as it began, it ended, and Sephiroth airily stated, "I believe it's time we left." No one stopped them. Even Strife followed dazedly at his side, not recovering his mind until they were outside of the town and halfway to the mountain. When he did, the reaction was rapid. In a fit of shocked anger, Cloud spun around and punched Sephiroth in the jaw, causing the silver male to stumble backwards slightly.

"That was my first kiss, you bastard!" But no matter how much venom Cloud poured into his voice, even though the General could feel the bruise already beginning to form on his face, he couldn't bring himself to regret his actions. He'd do it again if given the chance. The blonde tasted simply _marvelous_, even better than his cooking, and was quickly climbing the list of Sephiroth's favorite foods. Giving an innocent look accompanied by a small shrug to the delicious time-traveler, Sephiroth continued on without him; mentally planning to get Zack to clue him in on how he was supposed to get Cloud into his bed. Or as Zack would put it, how he would get into the poor, innocent man's heart. Or both. Yes, both would work for Sephiroth.

************

Tifa stared at where _her_ Zack used to be. She had been ditched for some teal-eyed bimbo who could never measure up to her. Why couldn't Zack see that he was making a mistake…?

"He can." Tifa jolted as she felt hot breath whisper two cool words into her ear.

"Wh-who's there!?" She swung around to find no one and nothing out of the ordinary. Her pride had jumped out the window the moment someone managed to sneak up on her, and she was normally so alert too…

"Don't fear me; I'm only here to help." The voice came from behind her and Tifa spun on her heels, stumbling back when she found herself looking directly into incredibly light blue eyes. A man, approximately 6'1, was standing in front of her, a fine smirk on his face. Besides the eyes, the first thing she noticed was the auburn hair hanging lightly about his face, just barely streaking grey. Well, that and the large crimson sword hanging limply in his hands. That comforting stance was no comfort; it usually meant that he could kill her with a moment's notice and knew it.

"Help…how?" She would be cautious, but if he could get her Zack back, than she was willing to listen. The smirk widened a bit, and Tifa assumed that she had done something right.

"Aeris, she doesn't deserve Zack's attention. But you already know that, don't you? There's no way someone as smart as yourself wouldn't know such a thing…" A long red trench coat, mirroring the General's in everything but color, fluttered a bit in the wind from the open window as he pointed out the obvious.

"Of course that bitch doesn't deserve him! He belongs with _me_!" Tifa's voice raised itself without her permission, but the strange man didn't seem to mind.

"Yes… _I _know that he belongs with you. He, however, _doesn't_. Miss Gainsborough collected Mr. Strife to help her put a spell on him, to blind him from your true beauty." His confident voice caressed Tifa, and she easily fell back into an old habit.

"So it's _Strife's_ fault!" Oh, this was more than she could handle! She would make the stupid blonde boy pay if it was the last thing she did! As if hearing her thoughts, he stopped her.

"Slow down, Miss Lockhart. It isn't all Mr. Strife's fault. He helped her because she agreed not to tell anyone his plans on capturing the General for himself. They were in it together, but _we can_ _stop them_," he practically purred the last words out. Tifa's eyes gleamed cruelly.

"What should I do?" She was eager to get her revenge, to get her Zack.

"You must wait and I will collect you when the time comes. Pretend you never met me." The man gave her the soft order with ease. She would do what he said, for Zack. Tifa could tell that nhe was prepared to leave, and jumped to grab his forearm. He looked at her sharply, silently telling her to let go. Immediately, she did so.

"What's your name?" The words fused themselves together in her rush to ask the question. He understood it seemingly without problems though, and answered with that ever-present smirk.

"Genesis." With that word, he was gone; out the window which she assumed he had come through. Yes, this was her destiny. She would have Zack by her side soon enough; all she had to do was wait. Heading back over to do the dishes with a new spring in her step, Tifa did just that.

************

Genesis watched the brunette for a moment longer before leaving; satisfied with the results she produced. She would do whatever he said for _her_ Zack, and that was all he needed to know; all _she_ needed to know. It was irrelevant that she would never actually get the SOLDIER, as far as the auburn haired man was concerned, the only that mattered was that she played her part well. True, the girl was disgusting, but she was also necessary. For Angeal's sake, he would deal with her. A sharp pain in his left thigh made itself known; the degeneration quickly making itself known in his calf muscle. Damn, he wasn't sure how much longer he would last at this rate. Hastily, Genesis shook his head, already becoming irritated with the negative thoughts. He would last for as long as it took; if not for himself, than for Angeal.

*************

Zack grinned happily for many reasons. First off, Sephiroth had kissed Cloud. Plus, they would be leaving the annoying village of Nibelheim first thing in the morning. Also, Sephiroth had kissed Cloud. Fourthly, Cloud was cooking again, and he was making beef stew! And then there was the fact that Sephiroth had kissed Cloud. On top of it all, Aeris had, in a round-a-bout way, proposed to Zack. He had accepted eagerly. Oh, and did Zack mention that Sephiroth had kissed Cloud yet?

It was funny because Cloud had yet to speak to Sephiroth, with the exception of calling him a bastard just after coming to his senses. The blonde had also refused to touch the man, with the exception of the killer punch which had also come once his senses had returned to him. Normally, the obviously dismissed suitor would become disheartened and give up. Sephiroth, however, took it as a challenge. For a moment, Zack felt sorry for his chocobo. Well, he had felt sorry for Cloud until he remembered that the blonde had never known love. Once that thought had popped into Zack's mind he went to inform the General that his blonde had nowhere to stay once they got back to Midgar. Cloud would thank him later. Violet eyes shone in amusement as Sephiroth, once again, tried to get Cloud to talk to him. This had become a new game for them. By them, Zack meant the two Turks, Aeris, and himself. I wasn't often, or ever, really, that one got to see the infamous General Sephiroth get shot down and Lieutenant General First Class SOLDIER Zackary Fair was enjoying every minute of it.

Why wouldn't he enjoy such a sight? They would get together eventually, so there was nothing to really fret about. Besides, Zack had seen the if-you-don't-back-the-fuck-off-my-sexy-little-timetraveling-sexball-I'll-rip-out-your-internal-organs-and-feed-them-to-you look which Sephiroth had sent Tifa. To everyone else, it had probably seemed like a normal glare though. Oh, how the First loved his ability to read between the lines… Either way, it meant that the golden chocobo would fall for Sephiroth whether he wanted to or not. As Zack had often pointed out; what the General wants, the General gets.

*************

Vincent watched his son get ignored by Strife. Why had the blonde jumped in front of him? It was unnecessary and reckless of him to do so. Still, there had been no hesitation as the blonde had turned himself into a human shield. That thought plagued Vincent until said blonde put a bowl of soup in front of him and said, "For always is for never; as always does not exist." Cloud didn't elaborate, he didn't need to. Though no one else knew what it meant, the words hit Vincent like a ton of bricks. It didn't matter how immortal Hojo had made him, he would die some day. Strife's tone had told him not to waste the days he had been given. For the first time, the reinstated Turk wondered who had really been the father in their relationship. Vincent looked up and captured sapphires with rubies.

"Thank you." Though his voice was quiet, everyone had heard it. Cloud just nodded before serving himself and sitting down. In the silence, a family was born. Though small and shaky, they were all each other had; and no one was complaining.

*************

Reno stared at the angry, confused, and excited cadets in front of him. They were excited because Sephiroth would be coming back to Midgar that day, confused because the word on the track was that Cadet Strife was with them, as a _SOLDIER_, and angry because it wasn't them. But then, why had it been Strife? He was the worst in every class, no matter the subject. The blonde was well known for his lack of ability and petite frame, making him an easy target for anyone who had pent up their frustrations in an attempt to excel at becoming a SOLDIER. What Reno didn't understand was how Cloud was alive. He had seen the blonde drown with his own eyes! It was impossible, making Reno both hate and love the situation at the same time. On one hand, it meant that his beautiful blonde enigma was alive; on the other hand, it made Reno seem insane. He hadn't told any cadet, not even the ones who had attended Cloud's initiation, that the blonde boy was dead, but the SOLDIERs knew. The scientists knew. And to make matters worse, his letter from the Turks had arrived that morning. Though the red-head hadn't yet opened the envelope, it was constantly on his mind.

The wannabe Turk was waiting for Cloud's return before opening it. First, he would see the blonde, then he would become a Turk and impress said blonde, and lastly they would fall in love and Reno would whisk him away into the sunset… or something like that. Green eyes shone eagerly as he awaited the helicopter's arrival; crisp white envelope all but forgotten in his back pocket.

***************

Cloud looked at the helicopter warily. It had malfunctioned on the way here, both scaring Cloud half to death and landing him in a precarious position with the General. As much as he needed to get back to Midgar, he didn't want to fly. Even with as many times as he had gone up in the Highwind; with so many life-or-death experiences under his belt, Cloud couldn't get over his fear of heights. Sure, he could face them fearlessly if he had to, if his mind were preoccupied by other things, but not for just a nice, casual flight back home! And the thought that he might end up cowering into Sephiroth's side again had the blonde about as nervous as he could get. He was still ignoring the taller man for stealing his first kiss; the one thing that he could say that through it all, no one had stripped from him. Not that anyone would want to; look at him! Really though, it was just plain unsettling how, if he thought about it, Cloud could still feel the soft lips pressed against his own. That is, _if_ he thought about it. So, being the mature adult that he was, Cloud refused to think about it.

Cautiously, the Third Class sat down in the middle of the seats, Sephiroth and Tseng on either side of him. Almost as if sensing his fear, the horrid flying contraption roared to life, very nearly making Cloud jump. In front of him was Aeris, Zack and Vincent on her sides. She smiled lightly; a reassuring smile. Was it really that obvious that he was frightened?

"Just calm down, Spike. Nothing will happen!" Zack shouted over the monstrously loud noise of the engine and singular propeller which swiftly lifted them off of the ground. Apparently, it was, and so Cloud forced his shoulders into a relaxed state. It wasn't so much the heights that bothered him as having nowhere to go if something went wrong. Of course, he despised the elevation as well, it wasn't _fun_ to watch the ground get farther and farther away; it was _horrifying_! Without warning, Sephiroth turned to him and asked a question.

"Why are you so afraid of heights?" The General's voice, though he had just barely raised it from its normal volume, echoed throughout the copter. Cloud, forgetting his anger at the silver male, answered.

"There's nowhere to run once you're up. If the pilot dies, you die. There's no control." Zack responded to Cloud's explanation with a question.

"What about parachutes?" And he was really confused; Cloud could tell.

"Parachutes leave you stranded, floating for a thousand miles into an unknown fate; they're worse than the planes themselves…" The blonde trailed off embarrassedly. Perhaps he had said more than they wanted to hear? Sephiroth spoke again.

"So, you aren't angry at me any longer?" Blue eyes glared at the General, who was leaning back in his seat with ease, his broad shoulders held with a perfect yet relaxed poise.

"What makes you think I'm not-" Cloud cut himself off at Sephiroth's smirk and very well near smacked himself. He had spoken to the General. Damn. Yet when the physically older man lounged back with such smug confidence and watched Cloud, the blonde found it hard to stay angry. Double damn. What was there to do now but forgive him? After a moment's hesitation, the Third Class bit his lip and said, "Well, I guess I'll let it go, but you have to promise not to do it again." Sephiroth watched Cloud for a moment, zeroing in on something Cloud didn't know of, before nodding. The abused lip was released and a sigh escaped soft lips. At least the General wouldn't do it again…

And in his obvious relief, Cloud missed the disbelieving scoff that one Lieutenant Zackary Fair just couldn't keep in. If he had caught that scoff, perhaps he would have had enough sense to grab a parachute and jump while he still could. Hungry green eyes roamed over an oblivious blonde; sometimes, ignorance wasn't bliss.


	11. Chapter Eleven

_**Author's Note:**__ I changed prostate to G-spot in Chapter Nine. I did not, however, do this because I believe I was wrong. Too many different sites and even my own doctor said that women __do__, in fact, have prostates. I changed it because too many people didn't know this small fact and it confused them. A thanks goes out to those of you who either politely agreed or disagreed. It's a free world, right? Yet, I would also like to tell the people that not-so-politely disagreed with me to keep their opinions to themselves. It's __**my**__ story, if I want then I can end it here, but I won't. If I want, I could change the human body to look like a toad's gall bladder, but I won't. What I'm saying is: constructive criticism is welcome and I will try to please people, but if you're going to be rude about it, I won't hesitate to block your reviews. Thank you. By the way, only one person did this and they were an anonymous, quite coward-like if you ask me…*Rubs back of neck* Sorry for this way-too-long A/N, but it really stresses me out when someone flames on my writing, and people have no right to insult. It's their choice on whether to read it or not… Am I in the wrong here?_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Roses are red. Violets are blue. I don't own Final Fantasy VII, and neither do you._

_**Warnings:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash._

Sephiroth looked at Cloud with interest. For a genius, he was horrible at telling whether someone was lying or not. Or perhaps the blonde liked him and was giving him the benefit of the doubt? By the already fading, but still painful, bruise on his jaw, Sephiroth didn't think that was the case. The silver haired man didn't think he would ever get bored of looking at Cloud. Third Class Strife was focusing so intently on the wall in front of him that he completely missed the General's scrutinizing gaze. Green orbs roamed over perfectly soft lips, a small nose, sapphire blue eyes, and came to rest on too-golden-to-be-real locks. Emerald orbs narrowed. In the midst of it all, he had forgotten to make Strife dye his hair back to its original color. Seeing how tense the blonde was, Sephiroth decided that now was as good a time as any and tapped the physically younger boy on the shoulder. This action made his chocobo tense further before turning towards the General questioningly.

"Dyed hair is against protocol." The General started off lightly, hoping the blonde wouldn't make a fuss about it. Cloud blinked.

"I know." There was an obvious, 'why are you telling me this' undertone in the Third's voice.

"You need to dye your hair back." Of all of the emotion s Sephiroth expected to see Cloud show at getting caught, confusion was not one of them.

"What do you mean by, 'back'?" With that question asked, all eyes landed on Sephiroth. The General merely cocked a refined eyebrow.

"Don't tell me that you _seriously _expect me to believe that's your natural hair color," came the General's blank tone. Though the color suited him, it simply couldn't be real. Cloud reached up and plucked out one of his hairs, pointing out that there was a blonde root.

"I do." For a moment, Sephiroth was tempted to just let him be, but the need to follow protocol quickly overrode that.

"I already guessed that you have blonde hair, Strife. It's just not _this_ color." As if to prove a point, Sephiroth's long fingers lifted a lock of blonde hair – noting that it was as soft as he had imagined – before letting it drop back into the seemingly non-gravitational air in which it hung. A blonde eyebrow cocked itself slightly.

"Permission to speak freely, Sir." The request was even, and Sephiroth accepted.

"Permission granted." Sephiroth was sure that it would be interesting: Strife's excuse.

"How is it that your hair is _silver_, Zack's is so black that it's practically _blue_, and _I'm_ the only one who dyed their hair?" It was a deadpanned question which got a giggle out of Aeris, who had stopped watching the scenery to pay attention to their conversation. Zack pulled a strand of his own hair over his shoulder, examining it closely before grinning.

"He's got a point, Seph." Sephiroth wondered why it was that his Second-in-Command took everyone's side but his own? Emerald eyes narrowed at the First Class SOLDIER, but Zack wasn't finished. "I mean, come on! If I can look this good without hair dye than so can he!" The Lieutenant struck a silly pose, clearly imitating some sort of story book hero. When violet met green and saw that the General clearly wasn't happy with the response, Zack's grin widened. He covered Aeris's ears before whispering just loud enough for mako-enhanced ears to hear, "Or you could always check to see if the carpet matches the drapes." Sephiroth mulled over the idea seriously. He would both get to see the smaller male naked and prove that the vibrant golden color had, indeed, come out of a bottle.

Blue eyes blinked in confusion. "What?" The General looked at the blonde male blankly. Did he seriously not get it? Only the sound of the copter could be heard. Aeris was looking curiously at everyone, Zack's hands still over her ears, and had a clueless but happy expression on her face; most likely because she knew that Zack was just being a gentleman. Zackary, however, started laughing his loud, boisterous laugh. Tseng soon followed his example, chuckling lightly, and there was an amused smirk on Vincent's normally expressionless features. And Sephiroth barely noticed any of it. Cloud really_ didn't_ know what they were talking about. Being the kind man that Tseng was, the Turk clarified.  
"He means we could always see if your pubic hairs match your regular hair." And like a true Turk, Tseng was blunt and to the point. Cloud looked at the two leaders, one of SOLDIER and one of the Turks, strangely.

"Or he could just take my word for it. I like that idea better." Strife's soft tone plainly said, 'no'. Zackary slid his arms around Aeris, finally letting go of her ears, before speaking.

"Just give it up, Seph. Spike isn't going to cave." There was truth in the Lieutenant's words, though the General was grudging to admit it. However, Sephiroth got no chance to respond as the helicopter touched the ground. Cloud, in his Third Class SOLDIER uniform, was the first one out. Zack went next, helping Aeris to the ground immediately afterwards. Sephiroth landed on the ground lightly as soon as the Cetra's feet were planted firmly on the ground. Two Turks, Vincent reluctantly in a black suit with his red cloak under his arm, followed quietly. Indifferently, Sephiroth strode passed the gawking cadets and a few SOLDIERs who had come to see the great General's return. All of them looked slightly, if not blatantly, shocked to see both Cloud and Aeris come out of the copter.

This happened every time Sephiroth either left from or returned to ShinRa, and he was more than used to it. Zack was too, and while gave a slight wave, he mainly kept his attentions focused on Miss Gainsborough. Tseng and Vincent quickly separated themselves from the group, giving quick nods before disappearing in the direction of the Turk Headquarters. Surprisingly, Cloud didn't so much as glance at the crowd. Confidently beside, not behind, the General; just as Zackary would have. Though the blonde wasn't chatting amiably, he was just as welcome to do so as the hyper-active First Class. Jealous glares were thrown the blonde's way, but he didn't seem to notice. Seeing how Strife, the _real _Strife, acted under the pressuring gazes of his peers only made Sephiroth want him more. Immediately, the General began to plan out how he would get Cloud to agree to stay with him. Because he _would_ agree, there was no doubt about that.

**************

Reno watched his blonde walk towards the SOLDIER base dawned in a Third Class uniform with greedy eyes. His blonde was alive! And as gorgeous as ever… Deciding that he had to hear the newly-made SOLDIER's voice once more, the red-head walked towards him.

"Heya, Blondie! Ya sure gave me a scare back there, yo! What happened, anyhow?" As much as Reno wanted to know, he didn't expect Cloud to tell him.

And his instincts proved true when Cloud looked at him but answered with a simple, "Nothing." Ah, the voice of an angel, Strife had! Reno couldn't help but think of how it would sound while screaming his name. And suddenly, the red-headed male noticed just how close the General was standing to _his_ blonde. Yet Cloud didn't seem to notice…or did he? Was there something going on between the two? No, Cloud wouldn't do that; _couldn't_ do that. He belonged to Reno! But as he saw a singular, warning emotion flit through emerald green eyes, Reno's worst fears were confirmed. Cloud had already been claimed. Though disappointment was the first emotion Reno felt, it was quickly replaced by determination. He would be a Turk soon, and then Cloud would have no choice but to pay attention to him! As soon as the blonde got to know him, he would see that Reno was so much better than the General. With renewed hope, a grin stretched itself across Reno's face.

"Just know that we've got sum catchin' up ta do, alright, yo?" And with that, the soon-to-be Turk ruffled Cloud's hair and walked away, bound and determined to read his letter of acceptance before sweeping Cloud off of his feet.

*************

"_**Ultimate. Stop. Danger. Protect. Ultimate. Silver Threat. Protect. Will. No choice. Silver Threat. Protect Ultimate. Danger. Protect, protect PROTECT." **_Mother Gaia's voiceless words rang loud and clear in Aeris's mind. It was a repetitive, jumbled mess, and while sometimes hard to understand, the message here was clear. Cloud was in danger, and Sephiroth was supposed to protect him. Maybe they all were. Though Planet's words always flowed through her mind, weaving in and out with her never-ending sentences, but rarely were the words directed towards the Cetra. Usually, Gaia would just ramble on facts, her soothing words of nothingness telling Aeris everything and nothing at once. All she knew was that Gaia had been more forceful in the few seconds that Cloud had talked to the red-haired boy than in the entire twenty-three years in which she had lived, and that wasn't a good sign.

************

Reno stared at the crisp white paper in his hands. It had a single word typed onto it. _Rejected_. Why? How? He had been so sure that he would make it. He _should_ have made it! Tears threatened to flow from smoky green eyes as Reno felt his world crumble around him. If he didn't make it into the Turks, then he would never get Cloud. If he would never get Cloud, then he could never be happy; never prove everyone wrong about children from the slums. Suddenly, he was glad that he had left the dorms to read this. Kneeling in front of an abandoned field – close enough to the inside of ShinRa bounds that he wouldn't get in trouble, but far enough out that no one came around – Reno tried to focus on the note, his vision blurred by the salty water which he refused to let fall. A hand on his shoulder shocked him out of his sorrowful thoughts.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" It was a masculine, sympathetic voice which spoke the words, and Reno wiped his eyes to see an auburn-haired man who was just beginning to grey. He looked about forty, if Reno was guessing correctly, and had a very large, crimson sword on his back. A red trench coat almost made the cadet cringe, for it was extremely similar to the General's; to the man who had swiped his Cloud right from under his feet. "The blame is neither yours nor Cloud's to hold though." Slowly, the man sat down beside of Reno, electric blue orbs staring directly into smoky green.

"O' course it's my fault, yo. I'm not good enough for the Turks an' Blondie don' want me…" The almost-Turk sniffed lightly, sadness flooding his voice. It seemed that the strange man wasn't willing to accept that.

"Nay. You _are_ good enough for the Turks, and Cloud _does _want you, but you're not the only one who wants _him_." Reno blinked at the elder male, wondering where he was going with this. "Think about it, Reno. Who has enough power to pull someone out of the Turks? Who's shown an abrupt interest in Cloud? Who stole _your_ blonde right out from under your feet?" And the puzzle pieces of Reno's troubles suddenly fit together.

"Sephiroth." The red-head was too shocked to feel ashamed that his voice broke when saying the General's name. Blue eyes glistened in the light of the setting sun, and the auburn-haired man nodded.

"Cloud was abused at home; starved for love and attention. He got it anywhere he could. It's not his fault. When he saw you, he immediately fell, and fell hard. That's not his fault either. Confidence, however it may seem, isn't your blonde's strong point, and Sephiroth quickly took advantage of that. Little Cloud was insecure about his feelings; didn't think that you liked him back. So when Sephiroth went up to him-"

"He gave in immediately." It was beginning to make sense, but something didn't click. "But I made it perfectly clear in the showers that I like him, yo!" And he had! Though he hadn't been serious at the time, Cloud hadn't jumped into his arms like a normal love-struck teen would have.

"He was scared at the time; it was his first truly intimate interaction with you and, believing it all to be a joke, hid his emotions away and fled." The calm tone which the mysterious stranger used was beginning to sound more and more like the voice of reason. And come to think of it, Cloud _had_ left pretty fast.

"But didn't the General notice him only _after_ Blondie flipped him over 'is shoulder, yo? I talked to Cloudy jus' that night!" Things could never be simple, could they? A slow, sad smile came to the man's face.

"No. Sephiroth went after Cloud a few weeks before that. You see, the 'shoulder flip' was just an act. There's a reason that his grades were so low. Strife has no particular skills to speak of, besides pleasuring his partner." Well, it could have been true. After all, Reno himself hadn't seen Cloud attack the General. He had, however, seen him fight Hart.

"No! He beat that First Class without breaking a sweat, yo; I saw it myself!" Reno couldn't believe that Cloud had slept his way to being a Third Class, he just couldn't! "He knew his stuff, yo. He fought like he…" The red head trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. The blue-eyed man finished it for him.

"He fought like he knew what the First was going to do next, right?" The man sounded sympathetic, and the cadet could do nothing but nod meekly. "That's because he did. It was all a set-up, to make the General's 'interests' seem more professional." It was so perfectly thought out, so incredibly believable that Reno wanted to cry again. His poor blonde had been manipulated cleanly and efficiently, and was probably being fucked as they spoke by a man who would never care for him like Reno could.

"How did-no, _why_ did he keep me out of the Turks?" Reno was still confused about that small detail. Again, blue eyes just looked at the cadet sympathetically.

"Sephiroth saw the secret looks that Cloud sent you; you and no one else, and he got jealous. You were competition, and while he has near complete control over you in SOLDIER, you're a free bird in the Turks. So he pulled a few strings with Tseng; got him to send Rude, who isn't the most observant fellow, to shadow you. The General saw you go into the forest after Cloud and quickly met up with him. He told the boy to fight a 'monster', which was a SOLDIER with a holograph machine strapped to him. The man tossed Cloud into the 'mako', which in all actuality was water dyed green, with a hole dug to let him swim under and resurface elsewhere. Lieutenant Fair was then told to scare you and make Rude think that you weren't good enough for the Turks. It was an elaborate scheme that, I'm sorry to say, you had no chance of fighting." Everything that Reno had been feeling: the sorrow, the confusion, the uncertainty; it all turned to raw fury. Fury towards the General. He had taken away everything that Reno had strived for, and he would pay. If it was the last thing Reno did, General Sephiroth would pay.

"I can help you with your revenge, you know. I _want_ to help you." Help? How could anyone help Reno now? "Just hear me out. I fell in love once, with a man who loved someone else. Sure, he loved me too, but not as much as the other man. I don't want that to happen to you, so I'm going to help. Alright? Will you accept my help?" It sounded like an answer to his prayers, and Reno immediately agreed.

"If, in the end, that bastard pays; if Cloud becomes mine, then I'll do whatever you want." The almost-Turk had a determined edge to his voice, and barely noticed the stranger smile.

"Then wait. Wait, and I'll give you my signal when the time comes. Just go on like we'd never met, and, in the end, you'll get what you want." Just before leaving, the man added, "By the way, my name's Genesis." Smoky green eyes looked at the spot where _Genesis_ used to be. Things would work out for him, they had to. And as the last rays of sun disappeared, Reno knew that things were about to change, hopefully for the better.

**************

Cloud looked at Sephiroth blankly. "Would you mind repeating that?" He thought that he had heard the General ask if he would like to stay at the man's house.

"I asked if you'd stay with me, at least until you find a place of your own." Sephiroth's tone was bored and drawn out, as if explaining something of extreme simplicity to a small child. Still, Cloud was sure he has misheard. Sure, _Aeris _had gone to stay with _Zack_, but they were practically _made_ for each other! For the most powerful man in the entire ShinRa army to propose the same idea was preposterous! Yet the physically elder man seemed dead serious. There was a pause before Cloud spoke up.

"Did you hit your head?" And Cloud really wondered if that were the case. Or maybe he was sick…

Sephiroth just raised his eyebrows a little at the question and responded with a blank, "I did not." Coming up with no other possible explanations than that Zack had asked the General to take him in as a favor, and having no other real options, Cloud agreed to the arrangement. All too soon, they were standing in front of a plain white house. It wasn't too big, but it wasn't too small either. If Cloud had to guess, he'd say it had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, one, possibly two bathrooms, and a living room. When the blonde entered the home, the first thing he noticed was just how _white_ everything was. After that, he noticed the cleanliness of it all. The house almost looked as if it were new, and if it weren't for the fact that some things were slightly worn down – like the white reading chair by the fire place in what was apparently the living room – than he would have thought just that. Sephiroth needed some help, starting with his home, and it looked like Cloud was going to be the one to do so. Judging by the stark white of, well, _everything_, he had some serious work ahead of him.

************

Sephiroth looked at Cloud, who had just gotten out of the shower. Damn, why hadn't he bought a one bedroom house? Oh, right, because Zackary had decided to visit him on numerous, random occasions, and Sephiroth hadn't wanted to share a bed with the man. Water droplets cascaded down a tan, scarred chest, taunting Sephiroth as they slid beneath a loose pair of sweat pants. Golden locks hung only a little lower than usual, hanging into sapphire blue eyes, which watched Sephiroth curiously. Cloud was slowly opening up to him, and it was enticing, but Sephiroth's patience was wearing thin. Perhaps that was the wrong way to word it. No, it was his self-restraint which was wearing thin. Cloud was looking more and more edible by the day. "Sorry I took so long, it's just been a while since I had a decent shower. Besides, you had vanilla everything in the closet, and I couldn't resist. It's my favorite." Cloud tossed out a small, nervous smile which made Sephiroth's heart beat in his ears.

Now that Cloud mentioned it, Sephiroth _did_ smell vanilla. That made things all the worse. The reason that the General had vanilla scented things in his bathroom closet was because the scent of vanilla turned him on. His 'sexual escapades' as Zackary liked to call them, always involved his target showering first. Fuck, could he really hold out knowing that the beauty in front of him was just across the hall? With a small, dazed nod, Sephiroth watched Cloud's wonderfully toned ass disappear through the door to the guest, aka Zackary's, bedroom.

"_Fuck_." Fuck, indeed. Still in a daze, Sephiroth stepped into the shower. It still smelled lightly of vanilla, and the General couldn't keep himself down. Just the thought that his blonde had been naked in the exact spot that he had been was enough to make Sephiroth's hand unconsciously travel south. He noticed what he was doing only when strong, calloused fingers wrapped around his already hardening length. Figuring it was too late to turn back now, the General worked on stifling his moans. His right index slid over the slit of his cock, which was already dripping with pre-cum. Normally, he had enough self-restraint to keep it going for as long as he wanted, but Cloud had a certain _affect_ on him that stripped the General of that completely. The pace picked up and the left hand joined the right, cupping his ball-sack intimately, and leaving Sephiroth leaning against the wall. As soon as his warm back touched the cool tile, the General bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed. The change in temperature was erotic and had Sephiroth's back arching.

Emerald orbs fluttered closed as his imagination got to work. His and was too big, too rough, Cloud's would be small and timid; while bright blue eyes would stare up at the General in amazement. Considering his first time would be with someone that carried a full eight and a half inches, the silver-haired man figured that he wouldn't be looked at with anything less. No sound escaped Sephiroth's lips as he felt more and more pressure building in his lower abdomen; only gasping when the pressure was released in a powerful orgasm. Now if only Cloud would help him out next time… A lazy smirk made its way to the General's lips as he began to truly wash himself off. Maybe he would.


	12. Chapter Twelve

_**Author's Note:**__ Hiya. I'm here. Sorry it's late. I hope you guys like it! __**ATTENTION!!!**__ It's important that you guys review just this once. I'm going to go by the reviews I receive on whether or not I write a long or short lemon. Next chapter will be between Tseng and Vincent(Chaos). This will count for all lemons though. I don't care about the amount of people that review, but the more the better. I need to know whether or not you all like my 'sex-ish' scenes. If you do, I'll write long lemons, if you don't, I'll briefly mention the happenings and go on. Deal? It's on you guys now. _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I'll bet you a million dollars that I don't own it. _

_**Warnings:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash._

Vincent looked at Tseng with renewed interest. Ever since reaching Turk headquarters the man had been filling him in on the times of today. He had missed a lot in his twenty-seven years of absence, and it was interesting to catch up. The newly-made Turk caught on quickly, and had fun learning about the new technology. At the moment, the younger male was telling him about the intricate workings of SOLDIER, and how to pull the strings when need be. Apparently, SOLDIERs and Turks were on fairly good terms now-a-days. At least, the higher-ups were. Just by listening his superiors thoughts on things, he could tell that Tseng was extremely bright.

Every word that fell from the Turk leader's mouth was perfectly thought out; that was a trait that Vincent admired. Abruptly, the hybrid's mind, along with his eyes, wandered to Tseng's lips. They were perfectly shaped, moving smoothly to form perfectly enunciated words. Vincent had time to wonder what else the man could do with his lips before quickly pulling his thoughts back. Chaos didn't seem to have much of a problem with thinking such thoughts though. **"He's delicious, isn't he? And he could top you wonderfully. Domination would be no problem with him; just look at his stance! And there's respect in his eyes, you'd be his equal at the same time." **Tempting as the voice was, Vincent didn't want to hear it. Now wasn't the time for such things, especially not with Tseng. The man was as dangerous as he was seductive, and Vincent wasn't sure of how trustworthy he was yet. No; there would be no intimate interactions with the Turk leader until Vincent could trust him fully. Unbeknownst to Vincent, Chaos had other plans.

*************

Tseng kept his face blank and his words flowing as he saw crimson eyes wander to his lips before jerking back to just above his head. Vincent was a grown man with sexual needs, and Tseng would be the one to fulfill them. It was all about confidence, and if Tseng had anything, it was confidence. Now all he had to do was make Vincent realize that. Unlike Sephiroth, who would have to go through Cloud's heart to get to his body, Tseng would have to go through Vincent's body to get to his heart. They both had their challenges ahead of them, and the Turk leader kept his mouth moving, the information flowing, as his mind wandered off to how much fun he would have once Vincent gave in.

***********

Cloud made cinnamon pancakes for breakfast and thought back to the night before. He had never seen the General look so…_distracted_. Not even when he had been crazy did he have that almost dazed quality in his eyes. Briefly, the blonde wondered if he was sick. That wouldn't be good. Making a resolve to check on him later, Cloud's thoughts switched subjects. It had been easy to tell whose room he was using by the décor. It had posters of chocobo races, purple beddings, and a blue bean-bag chair. Adding in the fact that the closet was full of Zack's clothes and Sephiroth wasn't likely to let anyone else in his house often enough – or at all, really – to have their own room. Not to mention the large sketch of Zack's buster sword drawn crudely into the bright green walls. He felt sorry for Aeris; she would have quite a time convincing him that neon orange and olive green weren't what they wanted to wake up to every morning once he proposed. Somehow or another, they had still ended up with a bright, violet kitchen. During the night, Cloud had taken some charcoal and drawn over the buster sword, making it look more realistic. If there was one thing the blonde knew, it was that Zack was a SOLDIER, not an artist.

Seeing that he had another ten minutes or so before Sephiroth's internal alarm would go off, Cloud wandered into the living room. Though he was sure that the General couldn't play, there was a black grand piano sitting in front of the window. Slowly, he eased himself onto the bench, onto the only piece of black furniture that Sephiroth owned. Well, that might not be true. Cloud had yet to check out the physically elder man's bedroom. Closing his eyes, Cloud ghosted his fingers over the keys; reveling in not having to worry about who would attack him next. Barely noticing that he was doing so, Cloud began to play. The song had no name, and no particular tune. It was just something that the blonde had made up years ago, just something to calm his nerves before sleeping and after a funeral. _Just something to calm his nerves._ Yeah_, right_. In reality, Cloud knew that he would need more than a piano to do such a thing. Still, sometimes he got so_ tired_ of protecting everyone, of protecting _himself_. Sometimes, Cloud wished that someone would protect _him_ for once. He wished that he could just relax without the worry that whoever was beside of him would either attack or get attacked. Without him realizing it, the music took on a sad tone.

But that was just him being selfish, he knew. Who would want to protect _him_? No one, that's who. He was nothing but a tool for the planet; an ULTIMATE. He was made to protect and serve, whether he wanted to or not. Even so, every once in a while Cloud would look back at Zack and Aeris, and he would hope that there was someone out there for him too. He would daydream about someone coming and sweeping him off of his feet; telling him not to worry anymore because they wouldn't let anything happen to him. All Cloud wanted was someone who cared about whether he would wake up in the morning or not, and that's the one thing he was convinced that he would never have.

**********

Sephiroth watched Cloud gently coax a beautifully sorrowful tune out of his piano. Truthfully, the large instrument was just for looks. The General had absolutely no clue how to play; he just liked hearing someone else do so. Like now. Cloud was stringing music notes together expertly well, yet the General couldn't help but wonder just why it was so sad. It was the music that had awoken him, and it was Cloud who kept him standing in the doorway to his own living room feeling as if he were an intruder in an angel's home; as if the brilliantly woven sight in front of him were nothing but a dream, and if he stepped inside then he would wake up. He never wanted to wake up. And as the sun silently rose, allowing its bright tendrils of light to flow over soft strands of gold and amplifying the dream-like quality of everything ten-fold.

After what could have been either seconds or hours, Cloud slowed his music to a soft stop, leaving a single note hanging in the air. Blue eyes fluttered open and the blonde man nearly fell off of the bench. Taking it as the cue that he had been spotted, Sephiroth strolled through the room and into the kitchen, preparing to fix himself a bowl of cereal or something of the sort. While he would love to have spoken to Cloud about his entrancing performance, when those big blue eyes had seen him, they widened in shock and recognition. It reminded him of how many of his partners looked when he entered them, and it made Sephiroth want to ravish him. Unfortunately though, Cloud was _not_ on the breakfast menu, or any other menu for that matter. Spotting a stack of pancakes, the General could have smiled.

Every time Zackary was over they would either have cereal or slightly burnt toast. For all the time the two officials spent living alone, neither of them had ever learned how to cook. He slipped the plate into the microwave, warming it before pouring a small amount of syrup over the flattened breakfast cakes. Whatever Strife had done, it smelled good; good enough to eat without said syrup. If he weren't so used to having the sugary substance covering such a meal then he wouldn't have put any on at all; it was more from a force of habit than anything else.

"Sorry if I woke you. I'll try not to do it again." Cloud apologized, and Sephiroth just shook his head in a negative motion without turning around. It was early, and his self-restraint wasn't at its best yet. He supposed he shouldn't worry though. The blonde was wearing a pair of baggy shorts and a sleeveless tee; he couldn't _possibly_ be held responsible for his actions if something were to happen. With that as reassurance, the General turned around. And immediately wished that he hadn't. Holy mother of fuck Strife was _gorgeous._ Sephiroth was sure that the sleep deprived blonde had run his small hands through his hair multiple times since Sephiroth had walked into the kitchen, for it looked messy and disheveled. Only one thing was certain: Cloud appeared as if he had been doing a lot more than… Actually, the General had no idea what his Third Class did at night. He didn't sleep, so…? Abruptly, the thought of Cloud sneaking out and fucking someone else entered his mind. A growl nearly escaped his lips before he managed to banish the thought. Cloud wouldn't cheat on him.

Then again, Cloud had no idea that they were dating and that, technically, – well, at least in Sephiroth's mind – he belonged to the stoic General. Damn it, things would be so much easier if the blonde genius would just concede. If that were to happen then the silver haired male wouldn't be holding himself back from jumping his little blonde. Really though, Cloud was practically _asking_ to get raped; letting his long, lean legs show from the knees downward and taunting everyone with toned, almost muscular arms. And then there was that endearing look of confused innocence that would vanish the minute they stepped outside of the house. Sure, it would still lurk beneath the surface, but it was hidden far enough down and well enough that Sephiroth would only be able to catch a glance of it, and that was only if Cloud wanted him to. As if those thoughts hadn't just been racing through his mind, the General strode past his blonde – intentionally letting his long, silver hair ghost over the smaller male – and left the kitchen. He sat himself on the pristine white couch with his legs spread a bit farther apart than necessary.

When the clueless yet somehow mentally older male walked into the living room after him, blue eyes automatically focused on his sitting position.

"Is something wrong?" That soft, sweet voice questioned; real concern lacing his voice. Sapphire orbs were now trained on emerald, and for that, Sephiroth was glad. Otherwise, Cloud would probably have noticed how the bulge in his leather pants had gotten slightly larger. Gaia, was there _anything_ about Cloud that _wasn't_ a turn on? Apparently the General had taken too long to answer as Cloud continued, "You didn't sit like that yesterday or the day before and people don't usually change how they've been taught to comfortably sit at random. Also, you seemed fairly distracted last night after I had finished showering. Have you caught a cold or something of the like?" As the blonde finished his sentence, he stepped forward and lifted up his hair, placing his forehead against Sephiroth's for a few split seconds before pulling away. He looked even more confused than before. "Though you're slightly warm, you don't seem to have a fever. Then again, it's almost impossible for a mako-enhanced person to become sick. Maybe you're fighting off a particularly strong virus; what do you think?" And the bulge grew larger, straining against tight leather trousers.

_Fuck_. Sephiroth was sure his usual eight and a half inches had reached a hardened nine by now. They had been close enough to kiss; concerned pools of blue mere centimeters away from hardened green and Cloud's hot breath against his lips as the blonde had _checked his temperature_. How often was it that someone, besides Zackary, cared enough to question whether or not he was feeling well? Almost never. And that to the side, it was just his luck that the man he liked would observe him just because he was used to observing things and would put all of the correct pieces together to come to the wrong conclusion. It was unfair.

"I'm feeling fine, thank you." Though Sephiroth was sure that his voice held no kindness; he couldn't help it. He had never been one to reveal his emotions, especially ones which he didn't understand. As soon as they got to base, Zackary and he would be having a nice, long chat. Scratch that. As soon as Zackary decided that it was late enough in the day to actually show up, they would be having a nice, long chat. For the First Class's sake, Zack had better show up early. Cloud's eyes narrowed slightly in disbelief, but he nodded and turned away, most likely going to change into his uniform so that they could leave. Double fuck, as Zackary would say it. Had he just ruined any progress that they might have made? Judging by the terseness in which Cloud had left, Sephiroth would guess that he had. Finishing off his delicious pancakes, Sephiroth put them in the sink and stood at the door. They would be early, he knew, and that only served to irk him further. It didn't matter that he was usually even earlier than this; it was that he didn't know if Cloud was. Damn it all to Hell! His erection had quickly deflated at the thought of losing his blonde because he couldn't handle his emotions, and Sephiroth was in a bad mood.

Moments later, Cloud came out with his uniform in pristine order. Faintly, the General wondered what he would wear when he became a First, for they had no uniform. Without a glance in the silver haired man's direction, Cloud strode out the door. Knowing he had messed up, Sephiroth walked out after him, surprised to find that they were heading in the opposite direction of ShinRa's military base. Quickening his stride to match the blonde's, the General questioned where they were heading. He received no answer, but that didn't matter; the route became more familiar with every passing second and Sephiroth's suspicions were confirmed when Cloud knocked on the Second-in-Command's door. Ten minutes passed before a tired Zackary Fair opened the door.

"'Ello?" The blue-haired man slurred out through a yawn. Hazy violet eyes blinked before recognition flew into them. "Seph! Spike! What're you guys doing here!?" A bright smile lit the childish man's face and Sephiroth just gave an almost glare.

"He," Cloud motioned to the General with a nod of his head, "is suffering from some sort of ailment and refuses to listen to me." In one swift motion the physically younger blonde had put a hand on the small of Sephiroth's back, shoved him inside, and gotten hold of the door handle. "Fix him." And with those simple words, Cloud shut the door in their faces. Almost immediately, Zack burst out laughing. He didn't stop until Aeris walked over, giving Sephiroth a questioning glance.

"I'm not sick," was the only response that the General was willing to give. With a joking grin, Zack questioned why Cloud thought so in the first place, and with a scowl, Sephiroth repeated what Cloud had said. In the midst of quoting, he explained why he had such 'symptoms' in the first place. This only managed to make Zackary laugh once more; scolding him for using such language in front of Aeris in the first place. Though it was Zack which Sephiroth believed that he needed to talk to, it was Aeris who answered.

"Maybe Cloud was right." The pretty woman began with a timid smile, obviously not used to having all attention on her. "Maybe you _are_ sick, just not how he thinks you are." The General gave her a sharp look, demanding that she explain. She complied quickly and Sephiroth was almost thankful for his intimidating stature. "You can't concentrate very well on anything when he's around, right?" Reluctantly, the General nodded. "And when you aren't with him, your thoughts always find a way of finding him, right?" Again, Sephiroth agreed, and Zackary, seeming to catch on, grinned and asked the next question.

"And you hate Reno for 'no' reason, right?" Zack sounded eager and put one-handed air quotes around the word no; the other arm wrapping itself around Aeris's waist. Increasingly curious of what they were trying to say, Sephiroth gave a sharp nod. And Zackary grinned as if he had just won the lottery, and, with a nod from the Cetra, said, "Spike's right Seph. You are sick: _love sick_." Suddenly, Sephiroth's world crashed down upon him, but instead of hitting the ground and breaking into a million pieces, it seemed to fit together. It was like the other half of his puzzle had been sitting there all along; just waiting for this realization to hit him and nock the rest of the pieces down. Finally, everything made sense, and a devious grin grew on Sephiroth's face. He was loved Strife. While he wouldn't go as far as to say that he was in love; his feelings definitely surpassed simple liking.

************

As the grin on the General's face appeared, the grin on his Second-in-Command's vanished. If there was one thing that Zack had learned, it was that grins like that – not that he had ever seen one on Sephiroth before – meant nothing good for the populace, or at least whoever it was aimed at. And just adding the fact that Sephiroth carried it doubled its danger factor. Immediately, Zack began to pray for Cloud. The poor kid had no idea what he was in for.

*************

Cloud listened to the comforting sound of his feet hitting the well beaten ground as he stared ahead of him. It was impossible to say how many times he had circled the track; how much time had passed since he had arrived at ShinRa. Nay, he could figure it out if he truly tried; he just didn't want to. Still, he ran, his breath just as even as his pace, as he thought about nothing. Only numbers padded through his mind, counting from one to eight over and over again; a number for each step he took stretching into the eternity that was his mind. _…1-2-3-4-5… _ No noise other than the pounding of his boots against the dirt broke through his barrier. At least, that's how it went for a while. …_6-7-8… _Soon, though, his ever present instincts caught up to him, warning him that a person – most probably male by the sound of their footsteps – was fast approaching. _1-2-3-4… _At first, Cloud had the urge to reach for Tsurugi, forgetting that he hadn't acquired his precious buster sword yet, but then he realized that the pursuer was little to know threat to his physical being. …_5-6-7-8… _Considering how uneven the ever-quickening steps were and adding in the fact that the male was actually catching up to his rather slow jog, Cloud was able to deduce that he was a Third Class who had probably just gotten in. _…1-2-3… _In fact; he was probably still getting used to the after-effects of the mako showers. _…4-5-6-7…_

Not worried in the slightest, the blonde SOLDIER allowed the most likely older male to catch up to him. _…8-1-2… _Sure, his body wasn't quite up to par with what he would have in twenty-four years, but it was still better than most. _…3-4-5… _He could handle whatever the man had to throw at him. …_6-7-… _The counting was interrupted along with his footsteps as a strong hand pulled on his shoulder. Of course, he had been expecting this, so it startled him not. Calmly, Cloud was swung around to face his pursuer. Sometimes it was hard to be in the past. No one would dare attack him head on in the future. He supposed that he was sort of like the Sephiroth of today, except everyone would grow to hate him, not shower him with adoration. Thin brown hair framed the male's face lightly, bringing out the unique shade of grey that his eyes held. Those eyes also revealed his poorly hidden anger.

"Who do ya think ya are, ignorin' me like tha'!?" A nose almost too big for the man's face flared as his not-deep yet not-light voice spat words at Cloud. Blue eyes merely blinked. The man had been trying to get his attention? Quite suddenly, the anger turned into something else. Although Cloud couldn't identify this emotion, he knew it well. So many people carried this emotion when they looked at him. They saw how ugly he was and decided that it would be fun to taunt him about it. He was about to be mocked. "Oi… I'm startin' to see why the Gen. picked you out o' ever'body…" The obviously Scottish accent caught Cloud's attention. It had been so long since he had visited the beautiful country of Scotland. "Ya know, I think I migh' jus' fergive ya for bein' so rude. That is, if you'll do ta me what you did ta Hart." Again, Cloud blinked. He wanted to get beaten up in front of his peers? A single blonde brow rose and the unknown SOLDIER laughed.

"Don' play dumb! We all know that ya gave 'im a right good roll in the sack for his pretendin' ta let ya beat 'im!" And the man sounded almost proud of himself, too. Cloud almost frowned as he noticed that a few more SOLDIERs were beginning to gather.

"Excuse me, but who are you again?" Was the only thing Cloud could think to say. Seriously, some people had too much nerve for their own good.

"M' name's James Sarmack. Now do ya wanna do it here er do we gotta go ta my place?" A smacking sound could be heard between every few words and Cloud became distinctly aware that Sarmack was chewing a rather large wad of gum. Slowly, Cloud lifted the hand from his shoulder and took a step back, fairly disgusted. Why did everyone have to be a good actor when it came to picking on him. It almost made him think that the idiot _actually_ wanted to sleep with him. Almost.

"Neither. I beat First Class Hart in a fair match; no sexual intercourse deciding the outcome. Also, if you don't mind, I have to report to Lieutenant General Fair's office in approximately an hour or so and would like to prepare. Excuse me." After making sure his tone was curt yet polite, Cloud turned to leave; the peaceful feeling that came with a morning jog quickly disappearing. Yet again, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. This wasn't Sarmack's hand though; it was too light and had a tighter grip. And, yet again, Cloud was forced to turn none too gently; his face stopping only centimeters from another. Blonde hair too light to be his own hung down in front of his face as he stared into dark brown eyes. Faintly, Cloud noticed the insignia on the taller man's uniform marking him as a Second Class.

"Listen up, _Strife_," a gruff male voice commanded snidely, "You may have been hot stuff back in your hometown, but you're nothing here. Now, unless you want a _real_ fight, none of that staged stuff like with Hart, to break out here, you're going to give Sarmack what he wants." The not-yet-named Second Class jerked his head in the direction of a smug Sarmack before continuing. "And once he's finished with you, you're going to do the same for whoever else wants it. If you think you can stay in SOLDIER without earning your keep like the rest of us, then you're dead wrong. And if you can't do the missions, you'll make sure the men who can are as comfortable as you can possibly make them. _Got it_?" And with that supposedly threatening little speech, Cloud was forced to noticed just how many SOLDIERs had gathered around him. There had to be at least ten, and though none were Firsts, they were all leering dangerously enough. Fuck. They actually wanted him to perform sexual favors for them. Were they really so desperate to go after someone as ugly as him? Besides, just the thought of doing such a thing with such disgusting people had Cloud's stomach churning uncomfortably.

Opting not to answer in case his breakfast of hot chocolate decided to resurface, Cloud simply frowned and tried to brush this hand off as well. The grip tightened. Blue eyes narrowed.

"What's going on down there!?" Just above the groups heads, Cloud spotted a rather tall man who, apparently, was not happy with the small mob's antics. Dark red hair flopped messily around on a tan head, falling lightly into glowing orange eyes. The man was obviously a First from his lack of uniform and shoulder armor, the only way to identify a First Class in a crowd of civilians other than the obviously glowing eyes. Well, this would be fun.

*************

First Class SOLDIER Adrian Linkhouse watched as bright blue orbs narrowed dangerously. He didn't know much about the cute little blonde, but he knew that General Sephiroth had hand-picked him out of everybody and that was enough. The General didn't do things out of impulse, and judging on how the newly appointed Third Class was standing, his body just barely tensed and ready for anything, this was no exception.

"We're jus' showin' 'im around; makin' sure 'e knows 'is place, ya know?" The insufferable Scott, Third Class Sarmack, if his memory served him correctly, answered.

"And _where_, pray tell, is his place?" Adrian knew that his tone was colder than ice, but he didn't particularly care. There was a _reason_ that there were so many Seconds and Thirds but only thirty or so Firsts. These idiots just wanted power and benefits; they were idiots. First Class SOLDIERs knew three things: how to survive on their own, how to follow orders, and to _never_ doubt the General.

"Under us, o' course. Dun worry, Sir, we know why 'e's here. An' it dun matter, we're jus' tryin' ta ge' 'im settled how 'e should be!" The stupid Scotsman blathered on about how the blonde would 'learn his place' and about how he only got to SOLDIER by sleeping with the General. Preposterous. Either way, as the Third Class stupidly went on, Adrian had to rein himself back in. He had to be the bigger man here; set an example for the younger troops. Ah, but what he wouldn't do for a chance at the idiotic Scotsman's head for disrespecting General Sephiroth like that.

"He is here because he showed outstanding potential, proving his worth against Second Class Hart. Now, I believe that it would be in your _best_ interest if you let him go." The threat in his tone was obvious, yet subtle. While the Second Class jerked his hand back like it had been burned, the Scott just didn't seem to get it.

"I'm sorry ta have ta say this, but yer mixed up there, Sir! Hart's a First! I saw 'im get promote' meself! An' Hart an' 'im staged tha' fight, jus' for a roll in the sack, if ya know what I mean, Sir." Truly, the man seemed to think it was it was _Adrian_ that was backwards. The Second who had a hold on Strife moments before looked close to smacking the man. Smart.

"Second Class Hart was demoted. It was found that he had received prior information on the task; breaking the rules. He will have to go through a new test to validate his passing. Until then, he will remain a Second." First Class Linkhouse said, choosing to ignore the last part. It wouldn't do to lose his normally cool temper with the ingrate.

"Bu' 'e's jus' somethin' for us ta play with, isn't 'e? I mean, the only reason 'e's 'ere is 'cause the Gen'ral though' tha' 'e was a goo' fuck an' decided ta share, righ'?" That was it. He _completely _overstepped his boundaries.

"For the _last_ time, he is here because he _earned_ it. Now scatter before I report each and every one of you for mutiny!" Adrian's voice rose to a shout and the group quickly complied. It was down to Strife and Adrian; the latter scowling before walking towards the blonde. "Don't worry about them. They won't hurt you. As far as I'm concerned, you're under the General's protection, and that means you're under every First Class SOLDIER's protection as well. Alright?" Though the words were meant to be comforting, they seemed to have the opposite effect and blue eyes just stared at him. Was the boy in shock? Surely not from such a small event… Eventually, the Third responded.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I can handle myself fairly well, and would prefer it if I was the only person I had to worry about." Slowly, Adrian began to see why the General chose the blonde. Two sentences from Strife and he felt like he were the Third and Strife was the First.

After a pause, Adrian said, "Well, I suppose we should ho see Zack and the General now. Right?" A polite nod was the only response before they moved towards the ShinRa building. Things were about to get interesting...

***********

Sephiroth and Zack listened to First Class Linkhouse as he reported what had happened at the track and neither of them were happy. More than that, they were angry. At least, Sephiroth was. Now, the General had learned more than most people in his short twenty-seven years of living, but one basic habit that he had never took to was sharing. No, that was putting things too lightly. Sephiroth flat-out _despised_ sharing. To him, what was his, was _his_; not someone else's. True, it was on a rare occasion that he was actually willing to claim something as his, but when he did, it was best to stay away, or at least to treat that object well. The point was: Cloud – whether Cloud realized it or not – now belonged to the General, and said boy had clearly been mistreated by his own troops. That was _not _acceptable. Sure, he knew that Cloud could take care of himself, it was whether or not he would that was the problem. With a nod of appreciation, Sephiroth dismissed the First and looked towards where Zackary was currently 'taking care' of Cloud. How Zackary had gotten it stuck in his head that chicken noodle soup would cure a _bruise_, he would never know.

"C'mon, Spike! I know that they're your distant cousins or something, but this'll help!" Zack's voice rang out as he tried to force the hot broth down Cloud's throat. Sephiroth wasn't quite sure whether or not his Second-in-Command actually still believed in his ridiculous chocobo theory or not, but he was certainly acting like it.

"No, Zack." Cloud sounded slightly annoyed at the violet-eyed male who was currently trying to drown him in his supposed 'cousin'.

"You know, we wouldn't be doing this if you would just accept the Cure Materia…" Again, Zack tried to convince him to use the green orb, and again, Cloud turned it down.

"It's a bruise, Zack. It'll heal in just a few hours." And while Sephiroth agreed that a Cure Materia was a bit over the top, he liked seeing the forcefully darkened skin no more than Zack. His fingers nearly twitched for Masamune. If it weren't for the fact that Cloud was strongly against the idea of punishing them, they'd all be in for it. Not for the first time, Sephiroth wondered just who had who wrapped around their finger, and not for the first time he figured out that Cloud had more say in things than he did. But that would change. It would change as soon as Cloud realized that they were dating and that he loved Sephiroth. It was all a matter of time.

*************

Tiring of the hot broth and noodles, Cloud asked Zack to go get him a candy bar. The First was out of the room quicker than quick and he sighed in relief. Yes, he loved Zack, but the man was too much sometimes. Standing effortlessly, Cloud picked up the almost full bowl, opened the window, and, after making sure that it wouldn't his anyone, dumped the horrendous soup. While walking back over to his seat, the blonde tried to ignore the amused smirk playing on Sephiroth's lips. It was harder to do so than he had initially thought it would be as the General managed to look so damn _kissable_ in all of his smug arrogance. Blue eyes blinked and it took all Cloud had not to stop in the middle of the floor, consequently, he was unable to stop the blush that lit his face. Oh, _Gaia_, did he _really_ just think that? Backtracking through his thoughts, Cloud confirmed that, yes, he had_ really_ just thought that the General looked kissable. Suddenly, he was glad that no one else could hear his thoughts. If the silver-haired male knew that Cloud had thought about him that way then he would surely slice the blonde in half with Masamune. Or worse, he would look at Cloud with the same disgust that his town had.

Damn it! Why, out of all the people in the world, did he have to like _Sephiroth_!? Perhaps he was a closet masochist, to set himself up for failure by seeing the most wanted man in the world in that light. Still, Cloud's heart was disobeying his mind as it helped his body remember how gentle the General had been with him when the man had stolen his first kiss. Of course, that had been to save him from his family's harsh words, and Cloud had punched him for it. Slowly, the blonde began to chew on his bottom lip. It was a nervous habit that he had never grown out of, and he reminded himself to apologize the next time he got the chance; when he wasn't so flustered. The blush had only just faded as Zack burst into the room, three different candies in each hand. This prevented Zack from having any clue that he had thought such things, but that didn't matter. For a single, silver brow had cocked itself slightly in his direction. Sephiroth knew, or at least suspected, something. It was official. Gaia hated him.

************

Scarlet watched two Turks leave their headquarters with unrestrained, sadistic glee. Azure eyes sparkled as they trained themselves on the one with long hair. It was _Vincent Valentine_, and he didn't look a day older than when she had last seen him twenty-seven years ago! Sure, his hair was longer, but that only made him even _sexier. _Oh, she could hear the screams of agony that Hojo had forced out of him now! They had been music to her ears as an eight year old, and she could hardly wait to hear them again. She could hardly wait to tell her daddy that he was back. Soon enough, he would be locked away in her room, screaming until his throat bled just like before. Swiftly rolling her long hair into an elegantly messy bun, Scarlet sauntered towards her father's office.

************

Rufus ShinRa Sr. looked at his daughter with tired, frustrated eyes. She was the apple of his eye and he hated denying her even the smallest of things, but he simply could _not_ get her Vincent _fucking_ Valentine! It was hard enough staging the man's death the first time; creating a mission hard enough that even him dying was believable. Add in the fact that, somehow or another, he had fallen into _Tseng's_ hands and the recapture became impossible without making an enemy of the Turks. Even with Sephiroth on his side, the Turks as enemies were not favorable. Besides, the two leaders, Sephiroth and Tseng, were on fairly good terms while he had walked on thin ice with both of them for years now. If Tseng broke off connections with ShinRa, who was to say that Sephiroth wouldn't follow in his example and take half of SOLDIER with him? No, giving her the Turk was not an option. So for the first time in his life, ShinRa Sr. denied his little angel what she wanted.

"Scarlet, Sweetie, you have to understand. I _can't_ give him to you." He tried to ease the news onto her; hoping to Gaia that she would understand. Blue eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly before a pout overtook her cherry red lips. She didn't understand.

"But _Daddy_!" Her pretty voice echoed through the empty office, tearing at the father's heart.

"I'm sorry Sweetheart, but I-" Rufus was interrupted by Scarlet's heartbroken words.

"Don't you love me anymore, Daddy? Don't you want me to be happy?" As much as he wanted to give in at her words, he just couldn't.

"Of course I do, Pumpkin! I just ca-" She cut in one more.

"But Da-" This time, it was the ninety-something year old male who disrupted Scarlet's words.

"_I said I can't_!" The old man roared, raising his voice to his precious angel for the very first time. His azure blue eyes were alight with anger as she refused to accept his limitations. A lank blonde mustache was the only hair on the president's head, but it fit him; making him seem scarier than he had when he was younger. Slowly, the beautiful blonde woman lowered her head in submission, and Rufus's eyes softened. "I- I'm sorry, Sweetie. But you've got to understand…"

Lightly, she raised her head and smiled, her blue eyes closed happily. "It's okay, Daddy. I get it. Thank you for at least hearing me out." And without another word, she walked out. At least she understood. He sighed. Never did he have such trouble with Rufus Jr. Then again, he wasn't nearly as proud of his son as he was his daughter. She was so much like him; right down to her sadistic sense of humor. Quietly, he dialed the number of Emperor Kisaragi, prepared to make the arrangements that would set his son's, as well as everyone else who depended on ShinRa's, future.

"Hello, I'd like to talk to you about the marriage contract…"

***********

Scarlet fought hard to keep her emotions under control as she walked through the corridors of ShinRa. How _dare _that senile old fool deny her what was rightfully hers?! Gaia, she hated that man, but he was necessary, at least, it was necessary for him to die a natural death. A small smile rose to her beautiful features as she thought about the poison which she had been slipping into his tea for the past few months. It would only be a matter of time until he would die, and then her brother would take over. Of course, her brother would be a bit harder to manipulate, but he would work better in the long run, seeing as he hated the company. Well, he had hated it the last time she had spoken to him six months ago. She was sure that he would let her have control of ShinRa, all she had to do was wait.

Yet how could she possibly keep her wits about her with her dearest Vincent only a few blocks away? She wouldn't have to if her stupid father would just concede to her wishes and hand him over… Scarlet supposed that she would have to take things into her own hands, but how?

"It was rather idiotic of him to deny you, don't you think?" A male voice rang out behind her. Immediately, Scarlet reached for the gun hidden in her shawl, but a strong hand on her forearm stopped her. "There's no need for that, I'm only here to help. Or was I mistaken about your goals? You do want Mr. Valentine, _don't you_?" Gradually, the blonde female relaxed, leaning back into a hardened chest seductively and tilting her head back to stare into electric blue eyes. They looked right back at her, and red, just starting to turn gray hair hung down; just barely tickling her cheeks.

"I do. But what can you do to help me get him?" That was the universal question for her. What could anyone do to make Vincent hers? She ran a hand down his chest, flipping herself over in his loosened grip and leaning upwards to place her lips just in front of his own. He smirked sultrily before responding.

"Everything." And with that single, heated word, he attached his lips to her own. She felt herself being shoved against the wall of the deserted corridor harshly and moaned as expert hands traveled south, his talented tongue exploring every nook and cranny of her mouth. He broke the kiss and began licking and biting down her previously unblemished neck. His large, calloused hand rubbed her inner thigh roughly, and her hazy blue eyes focused on his red sword. No, they focused on his red jacket. The color reminded her so much of…

"_Vincent_!" Her cry was nothing more than a breathy whisper as he entered her without preparation or lubrication. When had her lower half been undressed? She couldn't say as he pumped in and out of her, hazing her mind in a tornado of ecstasy. Quite suddenly, his hand groped her breast none too gently. _Fuck!_ She had never had it so rough before but _Gaia Damn_ did she like it! Moans escaped her lips without her control as he hit her G-spot again and again.

"Just wait for me to give you the say so…" The mysterious man ground out, his words fading to a groan as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, forcing him in half an inch more. Holy Hell he was large. "And Vincent will be yours." Those words came with him; and Scarlet could barely breath as she felt his hot seed spurt inside of her. With no control over her body, she rode him out, moving her body to force him in and out a few more times.

"Oh _Gaia_…" Just after she said those words, he leaned down towards her ear and whispered three words.

"I prefer Genesis." Without waiting for a response, he pulled out of her, leaving her feeling empty yet well satiated. After sitting her on the ground, he zipped himself up and left, not so much as soaring her a backwards glance. Moments later, she was alone in the abandoned corridor, dripping of her own blood and womanly juices as well as the semen from the strange man; from _Genesis_.

************

Rufus ShinRa Jr. stared lovingly at the sleeping Scientist beside him. He could hardly believe that he had only noticed Reeve a few short months before. More than that, he could hardly believe that such a wonderful man actually reciprocated his affections. Yes, Rufus was in love, and nothing would ever stop that. As soon as he gained control of ShinRa incorporated he was going to marry Reeve, and the man would help to turn things around. Soon enough, they would have their happily ever after, and then no one would stand in their way.

***********

Rude was only partially surprised to find that he had woken up in a different place then where he had went to sleep. It was a regular occurrence now-a-days. Of course, considering it was his wonderful lover that brought him here, it was just fine with the dark-skinned man. He had been awake for hours now, but it was to be expected, Genesis was a busy man after all. As if reading his thoughts, a tall man in a crimson leather jacket walked into the room, a satisfied smirk sitting on his face.

"I take it things went well?" Rude questioned, already knowing the answer. Genesis had big plans for the world, and Rude was just glad that he could help. Even though his part was small – denying the red-head entrance to the Turks – his lover assured him that it was important. Of course, he had felt sort of bad about taking away someone's dream, and though Genesis had assured him that Reno wouldn't have made it anyways, he had to go check. In the end, the red-haired Cadet hadn't measured up. Of course, Rude had ignored the fact that, at Reno's age, he probably would have reacted the same way, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that his lover was happy; that they loved each other. That was all that mattered.

**************

Genesis looked at the bald man with faux love. While he was annoying, he was also useful. If the idiot could only see that he was nothing but a pawn in this big game of chess; simply being used so that the king could bring back his queen. And bring back his queen he would. Soon enough, Angeal would be with him once more. True, his beautiful "queen" wasn't dead, but he was in a coma. He was in a coma because Sephiroth wouldn't return his feelings; he tried to kill himself because of Sephiroth's selfish attitude. So Genesis would kill Sephiroth and take revenge on the one who put him in such a state in the first place. Placing a lusty smirk on his ever-aging face, Genesis pinned Rude to the bed, closing his eyes and imagining it was Angeal moaning beneath him. One day, it would be. He just had to be patient. And if there was anything that Genesis had, it was patience.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**Author's Note:**__ Alrighty, we get long lemons! For the people who were worried about it, the length of the lemons will not affect the plot; it's just how descriptive I am. Also, I would like to thank __**Neko**__ for her indirect support, and dedicate (Yes, Sa-chan, __dedicate__) this chapter to __**FifthDayOfMay**__ for being so insightful and helping me out with everything. Thanks again! Sorry for the people who like him, but Adrian won't really be in the story. I just needed a First Class that wasn't Zack so I made him… I might mention him walking around or throw him into a conversation, but that's it. At least, I think that's it. No matter what he won't become a main character. Sorry._

_**Disclaimer:**__ It's mine! Really? No._

_**Warnings:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash._

"What do you mean you don't want the strawberry bar!? You love strawberries and it's _healthy_! Look, I even found a carrot flavored one for you!" Cloud looked at both bars of fruit and vegetable with equal distaste.

"No, Zack, I love strawberry _flavoring_. I'm allergic to _actual _strawberries…" Blue eyes looked wearily towards the offending food, but Zack didn't seem ready to give up.

"But I saw you eat those strawberry muffins that you made! Hell, I ate them myself!" He was thoroughly convinced that Cloud was pulling his leg.

"Zack. _Think_ for a second. Do you _really_ think that real strawberries could last for two years and still be edible?" There was undeniable validity in the statement and the First Class slowly conceded.

"So…do you get all puffy when you eat one?" Zack asked, truly interested. The blonde male sighed. He only wished.

"No, my physical appearance doesn't change. It…well, it affects me sort of like a deadly virus. Really slowly, my body starts to shut down, I get weak, and eventually I die. It takes about two days." Cloud said, watching in amusement as Zack stared at the bar in horror before chucking it in a random direction. That direction just so happened to be Sephiroth's, and the dried fruit-bar very nearly hit the General. Actually, it went straight for the silver man's head, forcing a strong hand to catch, and probably crush, the bar; thereby stopping the strange projectile. Quietly, while Zack was busy trying to make Sephiroth believe that the flying bar had been Cloud's doing, said blonde picked up a plain chocolate bar. Well, it was more of a stick than a bar, but they all tasted the same. It was almost to his mouth when a tanned hand snatched it from him. Blue eyes looked up innocently.

"Spike! That'll only worsen your health! Here, eat this one!" And, all too suddenly, the chocolate was replaced with a carrot-filled granola bar. Cloud frowned. "As a chocobo, the carrots should make you heal even faster! Or are you allergic to them, too?" Blue eyes focused on the vegetable bar for a moment before moving on to Zack.

"No, I'm not _allergic_, but I really don't like-" Soft words were cut off as Zack grinned, clearly tuning him out after hearing that he wasn't allergic.

"Nonsense! You're a chocobo, of course you like carrots. Besides, you want to get healthy again, don't you?" Or maybe he was paying attention. He just didn't care. Sapphire orbs closed. Cloud took a calming breath.

"Zack, for the last time, I am _not_ a chocobo. I am _not_ sick. I have a _bruise_." When it became obvious that Zack wasn't going to listen to whatever he had to say, Cloud turned to Sephiroth. "General, _please_ explain to him that I'm not sick." Emerald orbs studied him for a moment before said General responded.

"Neither was I." It was an even tone, but Cloud caught the jab. It was payback for handing him over to Zack earlier that morning. The blonde pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes slightly. How unfair.

*************

Sephiroth watched with amused eyes as his blonde pouted. It was hard to resist, but he wouldn't give in. Cloud had to learn that what goes around comes around, and this was the best way to teach him.

"General." Cloud's soft voice pleaded. Said General simply cocked one silver brow. Saying his status would do nothing.

"Spike, eat the bar! You're not very useful if you're sick, so you have to get better!" Zackary pushed the carrot-bar towards Cloud's mouth, and the boy grimaced.

"_General_…" Still Sephiroth merely watched Zack nicely harass his blonde with food. Seeing that it wasn't working, Cloud breathed out sharply before, "_Sephiroth_! Make him stop!" Ah, there were the magic words. First, the General took a moment to relish the sound of his name falling from those sweet, sweet lips. With that done, he turned his attentions, or at least his words, towards Zack.

"Zackary, there is nothing wrong with his internal systems." Sephiroth's words came out smoothly and Zack frowned.

"No, but he might _get_ sick if we don't heal him now, Seph. You have to think ahead!" Zackary sounded exasperated, but Sephiroth paid him little attention as Cloud sunk back into his chair, trying to escape the health-product that the First Class was still pushing into his face. Before the General could respond, Zack's phone went off; playing what possibly qualified as the most annoying tone that Sephiroth had ever heard. The silver-haired man's own phone had classical music for his ringtones. Not that anyone except Zackary had his number, but still. Said First Class grinned childishly after seeing the caller I.D., shouting a quick, "It's Aeris," before leaving the room to take his call. A relieved sigh escaped pink lips and Cloud finally relaxed a bit.

"Thanks." Cloud's words were soft, as per usual, and suddenly, with those honest blue eyes looking straight at him, something came over Sephiroth. It was something he had never felt before; something that latched onto him and refused to let go until he did what it wanted. Then again, he didn't fight very hard. Without thinking about the consequences of his actions, where they were, or who might have been watching, Sephiroth stood from his desk. With the grace of a panther, the General strode towards Cloud, leaned down, and took those taunting lips for his own. Immediately, the body beneath him froze, but Sephiroth wasn't willing to accept that. Putting his years of practice to good use, the General moved his lips against their unresponsive counterparts. Mere moments passed before his efforts retrieved a soft moan. The small response doing nothing but urging him further, Sephiroth opened his mouth slightly, just barely nipping at Cloud's bottom lip. The boy tasted better than he remembered. Yet, thinking back to it, had he ever tasted Cloud before? Sure he had licked his own lips after a brief contact, but that was all.

As soon as the General's teeth touched Cloud, the blonde gasped, unwittingly granting entrance to the strong, pink muscle. Sephiroth took the chance when it presented itself, quickly slipping his tongue into Cloud's mouth. When he did that, the unique taste that was Cloud Strife nearly overwhelmed his senses. It resembled nothing he had ever tasted, and Sephiroth was instantly addicted. Wanting more of the physically younger male, the General wrapped his arms around the small waist beneath him, pulling the blonde's body closer to his own and adjusting the angle of his mouth to allow better access at the same time. Small hands gripped at the pristine white shirt clothing the General's tones chest, wrinkling it beyond measure. Sephiroth couldn't find it in himself to care as Cloud's timid tongue initiated contact with his own. A quiet whistling sound pierced the General's ears mako-enhanced through a haze of pleasure, and he immediately recognized it. Zackary always whistled when he was extremely happy.

Reluctantly pulling away from the delicious blonde, Sephiroth quickly fixed their clothes and, placing one last kiss on abused lips, moved back to his desk. It was just in time, too, as Zack whistled his way into the room; noticing neither how flustered Cloud was nor how Sephiroth's shirt had become slightly wrinkled between the time he had left to the time he had returned. Something truly wonderful must have happened to strip Zackary of his usually exceptional observational skills.

"She found the ring. And she said yes. And…" Zackary paused his dreamy recollection of his phone call as he spotted Cloud, and violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Perhaps Sephiroth had spoken too soon. "Spike, what's wrong?" Slightly hazy sapphires blinked at the question before a heavy blush raced across his face, disappearing as quickly as it came, and the beautiful blue orbs went blank.

"Nothing, I'm…I'm fine. I'm fine and late. Look, I'm going to go on to SOLDIER training, alright? I'll see you later." The blonde sounded almost forlorn, making Sephiroth wonder what he had done wrong this time.

"What did you do _now_!?" Apparently, Zackary had come to the same conclusion.

"I did nothing." And the General stood firm on that…until Zack frowned and stated the obvious in a rather humorous manner.

"You played tonsil-hockey with my chocobo." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Sephiroth gave one of his near shrugs. "_Seph_! I told you that you have to get his heart before you can have his body, _didn't I_?!" Violet eyes glared at the General who settled into his chair a bit more. He had a feeling that he was in for a long, _long_ lecture.

**********

Aeris stared at her new ring with unsuppressed joy. She was getting married to the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful man in the world! To say she had been surprised to pour herself a bowl of cereal and have a ring with a note saying, "Will you marry me?" come out along with her Fruit Loops would be the understatement of the year. Immediately she had called the emergency – according to Sephiroth – /in case you get bored – according to Zack – number. Zack's grin could practically be seen through the phone and Aeris hummed happily. She would have to make her new _fiancé_ something special tonight. Quite suddenly, the smile dropped from her face. He had asked her to marry him because he was sure that she was, "The One," but what if he didn't want her once he found out that she had been… _used_. Oh _Gaia_, she hoped that he would still want her. This time though, Gaia's mindless ramblings didn't comfort her, and Aeris wanted to break down crying. She needed someone who knew Zack well; someone who could tell her without a doubt what his reaction would be.

And that's when it came to her. _Cloud_ knew. Sure, the General probably knew as well, but, frankly, he scared her. She just felt so weak next to him, and that would do nothing good for her mental status at the moment. Decision made, the Cetra grabbed her staff and rushed out the door. After all, Cloud seemed like the type of person who knew what to do in any situation, and he never got flustered or worried. He would never break under pressure; would never think her a burden. She could tell him her burdens, and he would help her without problems. Cloud was her answer to everything.

***********

Yuffie looked at her father with horrified brown eyes. He wanted to marry her off! And to some ShinRa jerk, no less! She remembered the last time she had met the stupid blonde boy – the only son of that fat bastard who had sent that silver monster into her lands – and he was intolerable. Well, she actually supposed he was pretty nice, but that was the problem! The young ninja wanted someone that she could express her truly wild side to; someone that wasn't afraid to curse in front of some of the most important people in the world and could hold her back when she lost her temper. More than that, she wanted someone who wanted nothing to do with politics or fixing the world, well, unless they got to go out and kick some ass while doing it…

"Papa, I don't want to marry him!" She pleaded, her voice somehow staying steady while her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Yuffie could see her short hair swaying around her, and she fought to hold back the tears.

"Yuffie, it is your duty to this kingdom to marry a ShinRa male and ensure peace. Do you not want peace for your people?" Her father's hard voice echoed loudly in the room around her; forcing her to hold back a cringe.

"Of course I do, Papa, but-" Yuffie stopped abruptly as the Emperor of the Wutai world held up his hand. He wanted silence.

"Then there are no 'buts' to it. Unless ShinRa Sr. has another son tucked away somewhere, you shall marry ShinRa Jr. Is that clear?" His tone left no room for arguments, and she briefly wondered why he even bothered to ask. Bowing in resignation, Yuffie asked for permission to leave for her rooms. Permission was granted. With tears still lingering in her eyes, she left the throne room, heading in the opposite direction of her chambers. She loved her people, her father, her lands, but she would _not_ sign her happiness away to some softy-bitch whom was probably gay anyways. Swallowing the lump in her throat, the princess hopped into the first flying vehicle she saw, which just so happened to be a fighter jet, and started the engines.

"I'm sorry…" Though her words couldn't be heard over the roar of the engine as she left the ground of her homelands, possibly for good, she meant ever syllable. Truly, she was sorry, but this was _her_ future, and she wouldn't let anyone take that away from her. No one.

***********

Reeve watched amusedly as his lover gave an overly exaggerated story of how horrible his elder sister, Scarlet, was. Sometimes, he wondered how he had managed to land a treasure like the pristine blonde man making slight, sarcastic hand motions in front of him. They were almost polar opposites. Where Reeve liked to sleep in; Rufus got up early. While Rufus enjoyed everything being neat and in its place; Reeve set whatever he had down wherever he was and hoped that he could remember where he put them. He supposed they balanced each other out; created an equilibrium of sorts. Even back before they had gotten together, back when Reeve only knew Rufus from seeing him walking through a corridor or getting coffee, the scientist had found himself attracted to the younger male. Many a night he had woken up to a raging hard-on from dreaming about that succulent body writhing beneath his own. Not even in his drunken moments did he believe that a possibility, yet here they were.

Strangely enough, they had met when Rufus had been in a fit of rage against his father and needed an immediate outlet for his anger. Reeve, luckily enough, had been there. Almost right after seeing the lazy scientist, the heir had walked over and asked to be pounded into the nearest flat surface. Reeve hadn't needed to be asked twice. While it wasn't on the nearest flat surface, Reeve had taken the younger blonde to his office, knocked off whatever was on his desk at the time with a swoop of his arm, and fucked the living daylights out of him. After that, they talked for a bit over coffee, mainly so Rufus could explain himself and partially because Reeve had wanted coffee, and just seemed to click. That had been four months ago, and Reeve was thoroughly convinced that Rufus ShinRa Jr. was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. If things worked out, they would. Rufus didn't want to run the world like his father; to tinker with everything and negotiate people's lives, and that had put him in an unfortunate position being the ShinRa heir and all. Reeve, however, had no problems doing such things. In fact, he became the head scientist so that he would be able to fix things and negotiate lives. In their minds, it all worked out.

"Are you even listening to me?" Azure eyes looked at Reeve unhappily, a pout playing on full lips. The scientist shrugged.

"Scarlet made a fool of you in the coffee room by knocking over your vanilla cappuccino, thereby spilling its contents all over your new white shirt." The elder male summed up with boredom.

"So, you weren't listening?" A pale blonde brow rose, and Reeve let out a dry chuckle. Perhaps Rufus knew him a bit too well?

"Not really." He admitted, earning an exasperated sigh from the smaller male. Abruptly, a mischievous smirk appeared on Reeve's face. "Would you like me to make it up to you?" Catching the smirk, Rufus smirked back, though his was much less devious.

"I might." And those two words were all it took to get the platinum blonde pinned to the bed, a lusty Reeve leaning over him. The scientist allowed his beard to brush over Rufus's chin, putting his lips close enough to the blonde's that if either of them moved forward even a millimeter then they would be kissing.

"Now, now, Kitten, you know I need straight answers to make decisions. If I don't know exactly what you want, I might just end up sitting here all day, trying to figure it out…" Every time his lips moved, they ghosted over Rufus's. A low moan escaped Rufus, and Reeve watched as a lock of his own brown hair succumbed to gravity's pull, falling down to barely tickle the younger man's cheek.

"I- I want you…" Rufus half whispered, trailing off into a groan as Reeve's knees slid between his legs, grinding slightly against his groin. A sultry smile overtook the lusty smirk and the scientist pushed their bodies a little closer, making sure their lips still didn't touch.

"You want me to what? You'll have to be specific here, Kitten. There are_ so_ many things that I could do…" Pushing Rufus's hands together and freeing one of his own, Reeve waited for an answer. Just as the lust-filled blonde seemed to gain enough control to speak, Reeve's hand darted southward; groping the younger's hardened member. A sharp gasp was the response, Rufus's back arching up and Reeve moving up with him, making sure to keep his lips just far enough away to taunt.

"Oh _fuck._ I want you inside of me. I need you inside of me. I-" Rufus's rushed words were cut off by Reeve's lips crashing down onto their counterparts. Minutes after clarification had been reached Reeve proceeded to give the smaller male what he wanted; what he _needed_. He continued to do so for hours on end, relishing every second of it.

***********

Cloud walked down to the indoor training facility like he would a meeting with the world leaders. AVALANCHE had become the protectors of Gaia for a while, so he had to meet with them. Said leaders always doubted his skill, his leadership abilities, and talked against him. It was prominent not to show emotions, as they could easily be seen as weaknesses. Any weakness was an opening for death, and death was never an option. All in all, Cloud had to keep his head held high and his posture relaxed yet ready. Who knew what these idiots would try to pull? By the time of day an how close it was to the SOLDIER exams, there would not only be Second and Third class SOLDIERs, but Cadets hoping to become SOLDIERs as well. To add onto his frustrations, his body was fighting against every move he made. Back when Zack had come in, both his body and mind had had a realization. His mind had realized that Sephiroth had had that same unknown emotion in his eyes when he kissed the blonde as everyone else did when they taunted him. Somehow or another, Sephiroth had caught onto his thoughts and decided to make him pay in the worst possible manner: making him think that his feelings were actually reciprocated.

When that particular comprehension had dawned on him, Cloud's self-esteem dropped another few notches, if that were even possible. It was the first time he had actually found someone that made him feel something other than familial love, indifference, or faint dislike, and said man had turned it into a game. Now _that_ had hurt; especially since he had felt so…so… _safe_ in Sephiroth's arms. Cloud couldn't remember ever feeling safe before in his life, _either_ of his lives. And topping it all off was his body screaming loud and clear that today, he would sleep. This happened once every three weeks, and Cloud hated it. His body would get weak, and he would feel like every bone in his body had turned into a cinderblock. That was the first sign. After his body, his mind would try to break down too; he wouldn't be able to handle all of the fucked-up things in his life with a slight smile like he normally could. He would want to break, and if he somehow managed to make it through the day – which was a hard task, but he usually managed – then his dreams would finish off the task. The reason he had become an insomniac was fear. He was afraid to go to sleep.

When asleep, he was defenseless. When it first started, Cloud would get about an hour or two a night, to make sure that his family couldn't attack him. Back then, those two hours were the best thing his life had to offer. Once it became clear that his family wasn't taking the chance they had when he was asleep, however, the town decided to take it into their own hands. When the blonde boy was eight, he awoke to find himself tied to a tree in the middle of Nibelheim woods with no one but the wolves to hear his cries. He remembered the smell of chloroform from when they had first gotten him, waking him up in the process. His body had felt heavy with pain; they had gotten at him in his sleep. The ropes had been too tight, nearly cutting off his circulation, and there had been a stab wound between his shoulder blade and his collarbone, along with many bruises darkening his usually fair bronze skin to an ugly black. To this day, he wasn't sure whether or not he had fought in his sleep, or if they had just been in a bad mood. After that encounter, he had pretty much stopped sleeping altogether. That, however, didn't work as well as he had hoped, for the times that he actually got to that state of unconsciousness, reality followed him. The worst parts of his life would replay over and over again, leaving him screaming his lungs out in fear when he woke up, drenched in a cold sweat and shaking uncontrollably. His mother had only seen this saw him trying to get attention, and had placed more bruises on his skin than before.

Cloud learned that it was best to sleep outside of town on those nights, but sometimes that didn't help. Sometimes people would find him and, since it made sense for them to be mad at him – he was a monster, after all – he wouldn't fight back. Once that had happened a few times, the blonde learned to stop screaming. Eventually, he got to where he was today, fighting off sleep for as long as he could, reliving all of the deaths. the pleas, and the torture sessions he had been through in the two-three hours which he slept, and waking up in a cold sweat even more tired than before with a silent scream stuck in his throat. It was fairly safe to say that he had only two fears: heights and sleeping. Back in the present, the Third Class forced himself to open the heavy metal doors, allowing none of his fatigue to show through. What welcomed him was not a pleasant sight.

***********

Aeris looked around fearfully, her staff out and ready against the unruly cadets. They were clearly taunting her, and while she knew that she could fight off quite a few of them; there was no way she could get them all. Worse, the SOLDIERs were completely ignoring the small mob; leaving her to fend for herself.

"I just want to see C-Cloud…"Aeris mentally cursed herself as she stuttered the Blonde's name, showing just how afraid she really was. Oh Gaia, she just wanted to see Cloud, or Zack, or even Sephiroth…Teal eyes sent the only cadet who wasn't picking fun at her, a bored looking red-head, a pleading look. He just stared back, making no move to help.

"_Strife_!? Ha! I don't care if he's a SOLDIER, the little fucker can't do anything but provide a warm place for some random guy's dick…" A mocking, almost deep voice said, but Aeris didn't remove her eyes from the red head until said boy's eyes widened, his head snapping over to look at something. Aeris immediately followed his eyes. She could have cried in relief.

"Cloud!" She shouted happily, pushing her way through the small throng of men to get to the angry looking blonde. Immediately after getting within an arm's distance, Aeris launched herself at the slightly shorter male, burying her head into his chest with a strangled sob. She had remained strong until he had arrived; it was okay to break now. "I'm sorry! I just wanted to speak to you, and I came here, and they- and I- oh Gaia, I was so scared!" Her fear-filled ramblings were muffled by his shirt and chest, the two things that her tears were currently soaking. He just put one calm hand on the back of her head, the other slowly rubbing her back; trying to get her to calm down.

"It's alright now; I'm here. You don't have to worry anymore, alright?" His soft, comforting voice muttered into her hair while his hand reassuringly massaged her scalp. In a louder, colder voice not meant for her, Cloud said, "And you call yourselves men? Ganging up on a defenseless woman-" He was cut off by the same voice as before, and Aeris couldn't help the sob that escaped her throat.

"She had a staff-" And then Cloud interrupted the boy right back.

"Which she would use to fend off twenty grown men? How strong does she look to you? Could you not judge by her stance that she has little experience in fighting, and what she has is self-taught?" Cloud sounded like he was speaking to someone far below himself, and Aeris was almost surprised that he could use such a tone whilst being such a comforting source. And another cold, angry voice grated against her ears, making Aeris bury her head farther into his chest.

"Just because you're a SOLDIER, you suddenly think you're so much better than-" Cloud's dry chuckle threw whatever the new voice was going to say off to the side.

"You think I'm saying this because I'm a SOLDIER? If that's what you think than you're poorly mistaken. They," Aeris felt his hand lift from her head momentarily, and she assumed that he was motioning to the SOLDIERs, "are no better than you. Sure, they didn't pester her like you all did, but they didn't lift a hand to stop it, and in my book; that's just as bad." He sounded disgusted, and Aeris tried hard to stop her tears. She was doing nothing to help him right now. This seemed to nothing but make them angrier and the first cruel voice began speaking again, this time sounding cockier.

"And what are you going to do about it, huh?" Aeris heard the man speak, goading Cloud to attack him, and the Cetra hoped to Gaia that he wouldn't take the bait. She wasn't sure if she could hold it together, even this much, if he left her side.

Fortunately, he didn't, and instead told them, "I don't have to lift a finger. You know why? Because you, Sirs, have just messed with General Lieutenant Zackary Fair's fiancée."

"Th- that's a lie. Lieutenant Fair isn't engaged!" There was horror in the new male's voice, as well as weak denial. Somehow, they knew this to be true just as well as Aeris did. Without another word, the Cetra felt the hand leave her head once more and wrap itself around the back of her knees. He effortlessly lifted her up – bridal style – and began to walk away. She didn't lift her head from his chest until she heard the door slam shut behind them for the second time, and quick footsteps catching up to them. It was the red-head.

**********

Reno ran to catch up to his beautiful blonde. Cloud looked simply _ravishing_ when angry… He had been put off when the Third had said that he was no better than the idiots who had been messing with the pretty lady, but it wasn't like he hadn't _wanted_ to help. Seriously though, what could he, one person, have done against twenty others? In hindsight, considering Cloud had saved the girl on his own, that wasn't such a good excuse. Oh, well, it would have to do.

"Blondie, wait up!" The red-head yelled, placing a hand on his poor, manipulated blonde's shoulder. He knew he was supposed to wait for Genesis's signal, but he couldn't resist contact with Cloud any longer. As soon as they made contact, Cloud stopped, turning himself around to look at Reno.

"Why did you just stand there?" The blonde angel asked, his voice disbelieving. Reno was quick to respond.

"I didn't know what I could have done to stop them. Look, I just wanted to talk to you-" The cadet tried to explain, but his angel didn't seem to want to hear it.

"Now isn't the time, Reno. We might speak later." With those cold words, Cloud shrugged him off, turned around, and left. Reno watched his beautiful back as he walked away felt anger and frustration build up inside. What had that bastard told him!? Reno swore that whatever the stupid fucking General had filled his head with he would fix. He swore that he would set Cloud straight, and the blonde would be his. He would do so, no matter what.

************

Cloud carried Aeris as far as the outside of his building before she asked to be set down. He complied tiredly. Why did _everything_ have to go wrong? And he was so tired…

"Listen, I just wanted to ask…how will Zack react?" Aeris questioned nervously. Ah, so this was about Zack. He should have known. Why was it that nothing was ever about him? He knew that he hid his emotions well, but it would be nice if someone would see through his shields for once. If someone would care. Blue eyes closed. There he went being selfish again… Cloud sighed wearily.

"He'll- that's…well, that's not really my place to say… I'm sorry, but you've just got to trust him." At the blonde's words, Aeris looked downcast, but understanding. She tossed him a light smile.

"Well, would you at least mind walking me back?" She sounded nicely hopeful, and Cloud accepted. He wasn't supposed to leave ShinRa grounds until eight, at the earliest, but it didn't matter to him. Cloud had done much worse than break a few rules in the past. The walk to Zack's place was spent in companionable silence, but Cloud was feeling more and more tired with every step taken. Perhaps he would skip the rest of the day and just crash back at Sephiroth's place? Within minutes, Cloud heard the door lock behind him, and almost gave a sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was make it back to Sephiroth's house. He would sleep it off and be fine before the Generall returned. In this state, he failed to notice the man shadowing his every move. He did, however, notice the hand wrapping around his waist, jerking him into an alley. Like a rag doll, his body limply complied to the strong arm's demands. His body demanded sleep, and his mind just wanted to get the ordeal – of sleeping – over with. Gaia, his eyelids felt like led.

Cloud fought to process the drunken words slurring out of the now obviously drunken male's mouth. It was something about being pretty and having fun. Nothing made sense, and the blonde faintly wondered if this was what being drunk was like. Damn, he had never resisted the horrid pull of slumber for so long before. He tried weakly to move his arms only to find them held against a wall, what was holding them there? Nothing was for sure anymore. He just wanted to be awake again, but to do that he would have to sleep. Fuck the dreams, the memories, anything would be better than this disorientation. Something wet was felt against his neck, and Cloud's eyes opened a bit wider. What was happening?!

***********

Sephiroth barely managed to withhold a growl as the idiotic cadets told Zackary and him that both Cloud and the Cetra had left around twenty minutes ago. He was also being told that someone had seen them leaving the grounds. It didn't matter that he knew that Cloud could handle himself, there was something nagging at the back of his mind telling to go after his blonde. The General was never one to ignore instincts, and with a sharp word of thanks, left. Zackary was right beside of him.

"You feel it, too." There was no question in the Lieutenant's voice, but Sephiroth nodded anyways. "Fuck, we've gotta move. I'll go search the grounds, just in case they didn't leave, and call my house. You go on and check my place because that's the first place they'd have gone. Okay?" Zackary sounded calm and collected, just like he would in battle; Sephiroth felt a rush of pride. With a slight nod, they separated.

Sephiroth was halfway to Zackary's house before his Second-in-Command called him saying that Aeris was safe at home, but there was no news on Cloud's behalf. Fuck, he needed to get the blonde a phone. Though he knew the soon-to-be Fair was safe, he still travelled towards their house. Somehow, he got the feeling that he should. Following his instincts proved to be a good idea as he came upon a faintly struggling Cloud pinned against a brick wall in a dirty alley. Something was wrong. The blonde had punched_ him_ for a simple kiss; there was no way he would let some pathetic male devour his neck as such. With a feral growl, the General ripped the drunkard from _his_ blonde, sending a hard punch to the man's face and feeling a sharp wave of satisfaction crash over him as he heard the jaw bone break. Letting the unconscious body fall to the ground, Sephiroth turned his attention to a slouched over Cloud. Immediately, he was thankful to see that the man hadn't made a mark. The General easily lifted the smaller body into a bridal style position before standing. Instantly, small hands curled themselves into his shirt, and a fluffy blonde head pushed against his chest. Weary blue eyes looked up at him, grateful emotions flashing through them before sliding closed. He was asleep before they reached the house.

After unlocking the door with a slightly occupied hand, Sephiroth entered his home, kicking the door closed behind him. In only a few swift movements, the General was in his room. Cloud, of course, had his own room, but keeping him in the General's room made more sense to his worried mind. That and the fact that a sleeping Cloud curled up on his bed made for a delicious picture. Mostly the first one though. Carefully, Sephiroth tried to set the slumbering blonde onto his bed. The grip on his shirt tightened in response, and a whimper escaped pink lips. Swiftly coming to the realization that the blonde didn't want him to let go, Sephiroth picked him back up; laying himself down with the slighter body a moment later. It took mere minutes for them to get resituated; Cloud curled up next to him with one leg thrown over his own, both hands keeping themselves occupied with his shirt. Sephiroth himself had one arm wrapped tightly around Cloud's slim waist, pulling them as close together as their clothes would physically let them. With his free hand, he snuck out his phone, quietly dialing the only number in his arsenal.

"Seph? Did you find him yet? Is he okay?" Zack's fretful voice rang loudly through the phone, and Sephiroth sent a glare towards the wall, quickly telling the First Class to quiet down. Emeralds glanced down at the blonde, but Cloud slept away, his only movement was that of his head snuggling into the physically elder man's chest. Zackary lowered his tone before asking, "What's going on? Are you to coming back? Is my chocobo alright?" The worry in his tone was evident, and Sephiroth whispered out an answer.

"He's here with me; some fucking drunk tried to rape him. He's asleep now, and no, I won't be coming back today. I'll give you the full story once I get it, alright?" The General knew that his point had gotten across, as he rarely ever cursed, and waited for Zackary's response. He didn't have to wait long.

"I- just- be careful with him, okay? He's a lot more fragile than he acts." There were no questions about the almost-rape, and for that, Sephiroth was thankful, but he knew that he would be explaining everything the next time they saw each other.

"I know, Zackary." And he did. He knew expertly well that the blonde was close to a breaking point and just wanted to be there when it happened. Sephiroth just wanted to make sure that the blonde would have a light in his darkest hour. After a minute of understanding silence, Zack responded again.

"Alrihgty then, Seph, I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Zackary had a habit of asking the General this at the end of nearly every phone call, and Sephiroth used the same response he always did.

"You know where to find me if you don't." With those words said, long fingers clicked the end button on the high-tech, yet rarely used, phone. After slipping the device back into his pocket, Sephiroth allowed his hand to travel up to soft locks of gold. Slowly, he began to run his hands through the feathery light hair. If this was what awaited him every night after work, than he would leave at eight with Zackary. If Cloud was his future, he wouldn't mind growing old. If such thoughts were running through his mind, than he really wasn't sure how deep his feelings for the blonde beauty went. Only one question circled in Sephiroth's mind, almost like a dog chasing its tail. _Was he in love with Cloud?_

************

Chaos watched the Turk leader through Vincent's eyes. As soon as the hybrid had nodded off, the demon had taken over. Most thought it impossible for him to do so without a bit of a transformation, but most also thought that killing people was the only way to eat their life force. Most were wrong. Really, all he needed was energy, and killing was the quickest way to get it. He was fairly sure that the strange blonde knew of this, but had decided not to warn his vessel ahead of time. Somehow, he knew that the blonde male, Strife, knew quite a lot more than he let on. This didn't bother Chaos, since said male seemed to be on his side, but it still got him curious. He would have to have a talk with Strife at some point; that much was for sure. But as crimson eyes focused on their prize, an expressionless look fixated on Vincent's face, the demon knew that now would not be that time. No, now he would give his vessel what they both needed. Domination. Respectful _domination_. Whether the hybrid liked it or not, he wasn't meant to be with the fairer sex; he was far too soft. Sure, he could watch someone get mutilated without blinking, but his emotions were too forceful. It didn't matter how well they were hidden; Chaos could feel every one of them.

Without warning, Chaos raced Vincent's body forward, efficiently pinning Tseng's body to the wall of the Turk leader's bedroom. That done, he crashed his vessel's lips onto the ever-so-slightly taller male's. Said male showed very little resistance, and only took a moment before licking at Vincent's lips, asking for permission to enter. Chaos gladly gave it. Their tongues battled for dominance, but Tseng eventually won out. Chaos made Vincent's mouth smirk against Tseng's mouth, and allowed the younger male to explore his vessel's mouth. There was no doubt that Tseng knew what he was doing, but Vincent's mouth didn't satisfy him for long, and he moved onto the unmarked flesh of the elder Turk's neck. A soft groan escaped the hybrid's lips as the human found a particular spot on Vincent's collarbone; his expert teeth nipping at the space with vigor. Chaos couldn't stop the moan that fled from Vincent's throat, escaping through abused lips. It didn't matter; the walls and door were soundproof, anyways.

**********

Tseng didn't know what had come over Vincent, nor did he particularly care. The elder Turk was being aggressive and demanding, and it was turning Tseng on like nothing else. Quickly, the leader stripped his subordinate down to his birthday suit, thoroughly enjoying the sight presented to him. Though riddled with painful looking scars, in Tseng's mind, Vincent was perfect. Every mark on his body represented a hardship lived through as far as Tseng was concerned, and that was something to respect. Wasting no time, he unclothed himself as well, placing both hands on either of Vincent's hips to both help keep the older man standing and to forcefully grind their erections together. Gaia, he had dreamt about doing this since first seeing the elder Turk in person twenty-eight years ago. Sure, it had just been a bad case of hero-worship back then, but that had swiftly evolved into an unrequited love. He could still remember the first time he had looked into Vincent's all too crimson- Tseng cut his thoughts off, freezing everything as he looked into his almost-lover's eyes. They had a yellow tint to them. Chocolate orbs narrowed.

"Chaos." Tseng's voice came out as a near growl, and he could have slapped himself for not noticing it earlier. Vincent's eyes were of the purest crimson, and, judging by Cloud's short description of how they would know if Chaos came out, this wasn't his crush, but the demon inside. Yet another realization hit him, and the Turk leader finally pieced together that Cloud had been warning him. After all, the only thing he stressed about Chaos had been the glowing yellow eyes. At the time, Tseng had thought that he was just being stupid; he would have _wings_, what did the eyes matter? Still, if the blonde had known, why not just say it outright? He had no time to ponder the possible answers as a crooked grin made its way to Vincent's face.

"_How perceptive_…" The words came out like a million voices joined into one, and while there was no particular tone towards male or female; young or old; the four syllables were practically purred. Suddenly, with inhuman strength, the demon-possessed Vincent Valentine shoved the Turk leader onto the bed and was straddling his upper thighs while pressing against his pectorals with a single hand before they hit the mattress. Brown eyes widened marginally before narrowing again.

"Why are you doing this?" Tseng thought it was a fairly reasonable question, and it also bought him some time. The crooked smile only widened into a grin. Millions of voices with thousands of accents spoke a sly response.

"_It's really quite simple, __Tseng_," Chaos put special emphasis on the Turk leader's name, sending a shiver up his spine, before roughly rocking his hips forward. This sharp motion caused their erections to momentarily grind once more, and the younger man fought not to gasp at the pleasure. "_I am in heat. In turn, Vincent is in heat as well. While he refuses to concede and get fucked like a good little vessel by someone whom he doesn't __feel_," Again, he emphasized a word, making the word feel almost distasteful, _"for – to sate our needs – I have no such qualms._" The grin was like a Cheshire cat's in its width, psychotically hot in a way Tseng would never be able to fully describe. "_And you, Sir, are the most delicious thing on my menu." _The grin faded to a mischievous smirk before continuing. This did nothing to settle Tseng's nerves. "_Now we can do this the hard way, pun intended, or the easy way. Which would you prefer?" _The demon seemed to think his joke funny, but Tseng wasn't laughing. He could either fuck the man he had been pining after for far too long into the mattress, with said man being an unwilling participant, or get raped. It wasn't really much of a choice. In the end, his morals won out, and Tseng just frowned in refusal.

Unfortunately, the demon seemed to have been looking for such an answer, and the twisted grin was back with a vengeance. Slowly, releasing none of the pressure holding Tseng to the bed, Chaos raised himself to be sitting on his knees; sucking two fingers from his free hand into his mouth. They stayed there for only a few moments before a strong, pink muscle gave one last languid lick and positioned themselves at the older male's entrance. Tseng knew what was coming next, and nearly failed to repress a low groan when Chaos shoved the two digits into himself. Said demonic man had no such reserves; sighing quietly as he got used to the invasion. As soon as that was accomplished, the fingers began to move, causing pleasant sounds to crawl out of the possessed Vincent's throat. When a loud moan erupted, from the body above, Tseng guessed that the prostate had been reached. And the grin, which had been momentarily destroyed by the pleasure, faded to a lusty smile. With exaggerated slowness, Chaos removed the digits, replacing them with the head of Tseng's pulsing cock. Said Turk leader threw his head back in ecstasy as the hot body above lowered itself onto him. Yet, he couldn't resist keeping his eyes on the figure; watching with undivided interest as his dick disappeared inch by inch. That didn't last long though, as Chaos stopped himself a little less than half way down, holding his body up effortlessly.

************

Chaos smirked as he repositioned Vincent's body slightly to align the rather large cock with the once-human's prostate. Vincent would thank him for this later. With a mental shove, he pushed said man into consciousness, leaving himself floating in the abyss he had grown so used to over the years; well aware of what was going on outside.

************

Vincent awoke with a jerk, his hazy mind startled to find himself in a strangely familiar position. In this haze, he forgot to apply whatever force was acting against gravity and his body plunged downwards, something hitting his prostate without warning. A sharp gasp rushed past his lips, and as the pleasure began to fade – though only slightly as the now obvious cock inside of him twitched erratically against his prostate – Vincent got a good look at who he had been sleep-fucking.

"Tseng?" It was nothing but a whisper. Gaia, they shouldn't be doing this. Yet, at the same time, they should. Vincent had never loved anyone but Lucrecia, and after becoming a Turk he had promised himself that he wouldn't have sex with anyone that he didn't care for. Did he care for Tseng? Vincent wasn't sure. Another twitch and Vincent's thoughts disappeared, his hips rocking forward to increase the friction. He would worry about it later, right now, this was what he wanted.

************

Chocolate orbs widened as Vincent, not Chaos but _Vincent_, lifted himself up slightly before slamming back down. No longer was he being held down; no longer did he need to be. If it was Vincent that wanted it, what qualms did he have? None. Seeing the hybrid was lost to the pleasure, and fighting against the urge to do the same, Tseng quickly flipped them over, removing himself completely before thrusting back in at full strength. Vincent didn't seem to be against this action as he wrapped his long legs around Tseng's middle, pressing the leader inside of him even further. Sharp nails dug into his back as he increased his pace, making sure to hit that special spot every time, and Tseng moaned none to quietly before devouring the mouth beneath him. The pressure in his stomach built and Tseng disconnected their lips, placing his head at the other male's shoulder blade.

***********

Vincent smelt the blood clearly as Tseng placed his neck near the hybrid's mouth. Crimson eyes concentrated on the jugular vein dazedly. There was something he needed to do; he just didn't know what. That was when he felt Chaos's mental presence behind him, no force used as he gently guided Vincent's mouth towards the juncture of Tseng's collarbone. In the back of his mind, Vincent realized that Chaos was giving him a choice of whether or not he wanted to do this, but why wouldn't he? As he reached his limit, three things happened: his seed found release, splattering onto their stomachs, his body clenched around the pulsating object inside of him, causing it to release as well, and Vincent bit down. In that moment a connection – a bond – was formed, and they lay like that in each other's embrace for several long moments before separating. Yet, even as Vincent uncurled from the other body, he felt a reluctance to move. Apparently, so did Tseng, as he wrapped his arms around Vincent's abdomen and refused to let go. Vincent didn't struggle. He would think about the consequences of his actions in the morning.

***********

Yuffie's eyes watered at the worst possible time; forcing her to blink her eyes in a desperate attempt to clear her line of vision. She couldn't break yet; not yet! Especially not with her left engine blown. Damn those stupid ShinRa hicks who had shot at her immediately after spotting the Wutai insignia on her jet. Her arms felt worn as she tried frantically to keep the flying hunk of flaming metal in the air. Was she really going to die like this? The tears streamed down her face freely as the aircraft began to spiral, allowing her to process only one thing before crashing, and that was the sign she was about to hit.

**Rocket Town**

***********

"Stupid fucking shit! What the fucking Hell was that!?" Cid shouted to nobody after feeling the ground shake beneath him. He didn't wait for an answer before running towards a now flaming sign, which was a great contrast to the night sky around him. "Damn it! I just redid that fucking si-" The pilot cut himself off as he heard a light moan of pain coming from the wreckage. "Shit… _Shit_!" Immediately, he dove for the cockpit; finding a pretty young lady passed out cold in the pilot's seat. Her hands were still tightly wrapped around the steering units, and Cid allowed a stream of profanities to slip through his lips. Who puts a fucking _girl _in a _fighter_ jet!? He had nothing against women's rights, but he would die before sending some softy little girl out to fight his battles for him! It was downright cowardice in his book. Gently, he pried the small hands away from said units and lifted her up; ordering some men to put out the fire before running all the way back to the hospital. Enemy or not, she was just a little girl, and no little girl was going to die on his watch.

************

Cloud slowly woke up to a hand running soothingly through his hair. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well, and didn't want it to end. Keeping his eyes closed, he snuggled closer to the warmth beside him. Had Tseng done something different? The chest beneath his head was much more muscular than Cloud remembered, and the hand running over his scalp was gentler than Cloud's memory said. Suddenly, the present crashed down on him, and Cloud remembered just whose face it was that he had seen before drifting into the oblivion known as sleep.

"_Sephiroth_!" Blue eyes snapped open as the named ghosted past his lips, hiding in a sharp gasp. Quickly, Cloud tried to jerk his body away, but a strong arm around his waist vetoed the action. Knowing that Sephiroth was far stronger than himself, the blonde gave in and settled for lifting his head. Startling green eyes immediately locked with shining blue.

"Yes?" The General's deep voice caressed Cloud softly, and the physically younger male had to fight off a quiver of pleasure. He had so many questions, but his mind wasn't willing to draw up any of them. Sephiroth seemed to notice this as well, and asked his question first. "Do you know what happened?" The hand kept wafting through his hair, and Cloud's body relaxed slightly against his will.

"Today's the day that I was supposed to sleep. You, well, you decided to play your little _joke_ and-" Cloud was interrupted by Sephiroth's voice, the arm tightening around him.

"What joke?" The Genera's tone was sharp, demanding an answer. While the blonde usually had enough control to just wave someone off and try to forget about their teasing, he couldn't this time. He just couldn't.

"Your whole _kissing_ me thing. Don't pretend you meant it. I saw the look in your eyes." And again, Cloud was cut off by Sephiroth. The physically elder male's voice sounding positively cold.

"_What_ look?" No, the General definitely didn't sound happy at being found out. Cloud didn't resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"The same look that _everyone_ gives me when they taunt me about being undesirable. The only difference is: you took things a step further. I don't know how, but you found out that I like you, and you decided to use that. You got that stupid mocking look in your _stupid_ green eyes and used my emotions against me!" All Cloud wanted to do was go off on his own and pull himself together, but that wasn't an option at the moment. Gaia, why did everything have to be so hard?

************

Sephiroth looked at Cloud with mixed emotions. On one hand, Cloud _liked_ him; on the other hand, his poor blonde was completely mistaken about almost everything he had said. The General took it upon himself to correct Cloud.

"That…_look_ you were talking about is not meant to mock. If you pay attention, you'll see that Zackary gives his Cetra the same emotion." Confusion entered sad blue eyes, and Sephiroth pressed on. "It has a name, that emotion. Do you know what that name is?" Eye contact was held as the General spoke, and when Cloud slowly moved his head in a negative motion, Sephiroth smiled. Emeralds stared into sapphires for as long as physically possible, Sephiroth's face moving closer and closer to Cloud's. As much as he would have liked to kiss those sweet lips once more, now wasn't the time. He swept past those enticing lips, brushing his cheek against Cloud's before coming to a stop at the small ear which the General was tempted to bite down on. Resisting the urge, Sephiroth instead whispered two simple words. "It's _lust_." With that said, he pulled back up to gauge Cloud's reaction. Shocked blue eyes stared at him.

"That's impossible. I'm not good-looking enough to have so _many_ people look at me with…" Cloud trailed off unsurely, and allowed the General to finish for him.

"Lust." The word was spoken with ease, and the blonde gave a nervous nod in response. Lust indeed. It was building up within him as they spoke; increasing with every second that he looked at his precious blonde. Discreetly, Sephiroth moved his lower half a few extra inches away from Cloud's. "Think logically for a moment. Your mother is a beautiful person, is she not?" Another nod. "And your father must have been beautiful, if the town believed it possible that he was an incubus. Correct?" There was a sound of agreement and Sephiroth moved back a centimeter more as an extra precaution. "That puts beauty in your genes, making it physically impossible for you not to be simply _stunning_. Doesn't it?" The last question was rhetorical, and a blush raced up Cloud's face.

"Y-you're lying." Cloud turned his head away while saying these words. The General growled.

"Do you _really_ believe that I could fake_ this_?" And, as if to prove a point, Sephiroth moved himself forward and pressed his hard member against Cloud's inner thigh. Blue orbs went unbelievably wide as they registered the meaning of that action.

The blonde drew his bottom lip into his mouth, rolling it between his teeth in an unbelievably inviting motion before asking, "I did that to you?" He still sounded slightly disbelieving, and Sephiroth groaned when the big blue orbs turned back to face him; unwavering trust shining blatantly through his shields. Fuck. If the blonde wanted to keep his status as a virgin then he would need to quit doing that. He would need to quit doing a lot of things, actually.

"You do this to me daily; several times a day, in fact. And the worst part of it is: you don't realize you're doing it." Sephiroth waited patiently for Cloud to say what was on his mind.

"So…you really like me?" The General could have smiled at the innocence in Cloud's question.

"I don't just like you, Cloud, I _love_ you." And while Sephiroth wasn't sure whether or not his confession was well-placed, he had to see if Cloud could accept him.

There was a slight pause before, "Why?" Strangely enough, the General had never thought about that before. He didn't have a reason for loving the blonde; he just did.

"I don't know." The answer was honest, but not what the blonde seemed to be looking for.

"But, last time," Sephiroth assumed that Cloud was speaking of his past life, "you hated me. Why would you hate me then, if you love me now?" The blonde seemed to be confused, and went to Sephiroth for the answers. Unfortunately, they were answers that Sephiroth didn't have, and as much as the General hated saying it, there was nothing else to say.

"I don't know." Cloud looked slightly disappointed at the extremely vague answer, but that faded as he gazed at the General. That deep, open gaze made Sephiroth's cock twitch; apparently enough for Cloud to take notice as another blush lit his face.

"Um… Do you need help with…?" Cloud's shy words trailed off embarrassedly, and Sephiroth shook his head negatively. As much as he would enjoy Cloud's help…

"It's fine. I'll take care of it myself." As he had many times before; as he was sure that he would many times more. It was almost cruel how, before meeting Cloud, he never jacked himself off. In fact, the last time he had masturbated on his own before meeting the blonde had been when he was fifteen. Cloud looked a bit torn for a moment before seeming to come to a decision. Both hands, which had been fisted into Sephiroth's shirt, uncurled themselves and pushed the General flat onto his back. Emerald orbs narrowed as the blonde started moving downward. "Cloud, you don't have to-" But said General never finished that sentence as blue eyes shot him a determined glare. Sephiroth didn't have it in him to try again as he both heard and felt his zipper go down.

***********

Cloud pulled the hard, leaking cock out of Sephiroth's leather trousers and stared in amazement at the sheer _size_ of it; around three inches wide and nine inches long. He hesitated for a moment, but only that, before taking it into his mouth. Sephiroth's breath hitched at the action, but Cloud wasn't satisfied. Less than half of it fit before touching the back of his throat. Quickly, he thought back to what Tseng had told him one night, just for the fun of making him uncomfortable.

"_Remember, if they're too big then all you have to do is relax your throat. Relax it completely; until the hot, pulsing cock just slides down."_

Tseng had gone on about the joys deep-throating someone and, of course, this had succeeded in making Cloud squirm. That didn't matter now, and Cloud swiftly relaxed his throat; feeling the large organ slide down easily. When silver pubic hairs tickled his nose, Cloud felt large hands thread themselves into his own locks. He could tell that Sephiroth was being careful not to pull to hard as he moaned out Cloud's name. Said blonde raised his eyes, his head lifting slightly with them and, in turn, Sephiroth's cock.

"Mmm?" Cloud made a questioning noise. Had he done something wrong?

It became abundantly clear that, no, he hadn't, as the General's back arched and he ground out the words, "You- you're doing fine… Just- nnmn… keep going." The last words were whispers that only Cloud's advanced hearing picked up, and even then it was hard to hear. He nodded, earning a low moan, before concentrating on the ever-pulsing organ in his mouth. Slowly, unsure of what to do, Cloud moved his tongue to lick the underside of Sephiroth's cock. This got quite a reaction, but Cloud wasn't sure what would get the _best_ reaction. Quickly, afraid that he would mess up if he took his time when moving it in or out, he went upwards; making sure that just an inch or two of the cock remained in his mouth. Cloud swirled his tongue around the tip; finding that the pre-cum had a salty sweet flavor. Strangely enough, the blonde found that he like the flavor. In an attempt to get more of that odd taste, Cloud gave a small suck. It succeeded. Realizing that the rest of the organ was probably becoming cold, the blonde slid the cock back down his throat; grazing his teeth along the sensitized skin along the way.

Swiftly, he created a pattern. Down, teeth grazing, lick and attend, up, tongue sliding along the bottom, swirl and suck the tip, and repeat. The routine got quicker and quicker, Sephiroth grunting or moaning in approval every minute or so. Just as Cloud got to the tip once again, Sephiroth moaned something about cumming, and Cloud, not knowing precisely what that meant, just went on with his routine. Before he got the chance to go back down, Sephiroth's essence spurted into his mouth forcefully. Cloud swallowed every drop of the bitter sweet liquid, felling a small pain shoot through him, but fending it off easily. Slowly, he lifted his head to look into emerald orbs, almost unaware of the trail of saliva connecting his lips to the General's cock.

***********

Sephiroth only had time to look at the blonde before removing one hand from the delicious blonde hair and fisting it into the uniform shirt. He pulled Cloud up, devouring his blonde's mouth in one quick movement. They stayed connected until air became a necessity. "Are you positive that you haven't done this before?" Sephiroth asked lightly, and Cloud smiled a bit.

"I'm sure." With that, Sephiroth wrapped his arms around the blonde once more; content with just laying there somewhere between consciousness and the black abyss known as sleep. Whatever he had done to deserve this, he was thankful, and hoped to Gaia that he wouldn't screw up. He didn't know if he could handle losing Cloud now. Sephiroth tightened his grip ever so slightly, aware that he was falling into slumber while the blonde was wide awake. If only they could stay like that forever...


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**Author's Note:**__ Hiya. My internet crashed on my laptop, where I keep this, and I couldn't upload. I've had to switch through three computers and two hard drives to get this up! Also, once I finish this story, I'm going to have two stories going at once. I will try to always have an FFVII story going, but no promises. The next two will be FFVII and Naruto. So…yeah._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Stop! Don't even worry about it. I already arrested myself for pretending to own it. I'll see me in court in three weeks. Wish me luck!_

_**Warnings:**__ Language. Slash. Violence. Non-Slash._

Cloud awoke with two possessive, muscular arms wrapped around his mid-section and his head buried in a well-toned chest. As his memory came rushing back to him, a blush rushed to his face. He couldn't believe that he had really done such a thing. But, the General had said that he loved Cloud, correct? So it was alright. People in love did that to each other, right? Yet, was he in love with Sephiroth back? Cloud certainly liked him in that way, but was it love? Blonde hair bounced slightly as Cloud raised his head to look at the General. The man looked peaceful, making Cloud's heart skip a beat. Quickly, he tried to think of how many times Masamune had run through him and of how many times he had killed Sephiroth, but couldn't. The mere thought of hurting the silver haired General in any way had his stomach churning. If he wasn't in love, he was certainly close to it.

The blonde looked back down. What if Sephiroth really had been faking it? That would break the blonde. Immediately, Cloud thought of what the General had said to, had _showed_, him, and tried to dismiss the thought. That kind of thing couldn't be faked. Cloud only knew this because it had never happened to him before and when he had helpedSephiroth with his not-so-little problem he had, well, he had become slightly hard… Oh, just the thought of it made him blush harder. Still, no matter what he did, Cloud couldn't shake the lingering doubt about Sephiroth's confession. Swiftly, realizing that his inferiority complex was getting to him again, Cloud nudged the body in front of him. It didn't stir. He pushed against the form a bit harder, but got no reaction. Once more, with even more force, slight hands pressed against the toned chest. It didn't budge an inch. Frowning, Blue eyes looked up once more and locked with curious green. Damn it. How long had he been awake? As if he had been reading the blonde's mind, Sephiroth smirked lightly and responded.

"A while." And Cloud blushed again at hearing the deep voice still husky from sleep before hardening his resolve. Slowly, he drew his bottom lip into his mouth, chewing on it for a minute while deciding how to ask. Finally, he released the abused lip.

"Will you say it again?" Cloud's voice was slightly timid, but he couldn't help it. This was important.

***********

Sephiroth looked at the blonde with even more curiosity than before. Say what again? When nothing came out of the General's mouth and disappointment flashed through beautiful sapphires and Sephiroth could have smacked himself.

"I love you." And he meant it. It seemed to take a moment for his blonde to register what had been said, but happiness filled those striking orbs as soon as he did. Quickly, almost-toned arms wrapped around the General and the head of blonde was buried in his chest once more. After that had happened, Cloud gave a muffled order.

"One more time." Sephiroth smiled at the command. It wasn't a smirk or one of his deranged smiles that appeared just before a particularly satisfying kill, but a soft, genuine smile. He would say it until Cloud got tired of hearing it and then some.

"I love you." He whispered it into a tanned ear before licking the inside of the shell, receiving a pleasured shiver for doing so. The head tilted further downward before Cloud stuttered out that he was going to go take a shower. The General reluctantly let him go, if only to watch that tight ass walk out the door. Yet, his bed felt empty with the blonde gone, and Sephiroth frowned. It would take little to no time to get ready, he would burn the house down if he tried to make breakfast, and Zackary was most likely either asleep or just wouldn't answer the phone, so there was only one option left. And the smile turned to a smirk. Quietly, Sephiroth sat up and, with mako-enhanced ears, heard Cloud get into the shower. The smirk quickly widened as Sephiroth dropped his clothes; walking into the bathroom without making a sound. Swiftly, the General entered the shower, automatically taking note of one thing. The carpet matched the drapes. Oh _Gaia. The carpet matched the drapes._ Blonde brows furrowed together in confusion.

"Why are you…you know, in here?" Cloud asked in that soft tone of his. And Sephiroth merely reached over the blonde's shoulder and grabbed some shampoo.

"To take a shower. Why are _you_ in here?" The General kept his voice calm, as if he really wanted to know what Cloud was doing in his shower, and his eyes to the ceiling. If he allowed his emerald orbs to run over that lithe body then they would have a raging erection between them. It wasn't as if he wouldn't enjoy having Cloud's warm mouth take care of him once more – he could still imagine the skilled yet inexperienced tongue taking care of his every desire – but that wasn't what he needed. Cloud spluttered over his answer.

"I- but- well- I'm taking a shower, too, but-" Sephiroth interrupted the confused ramblings off-handedly; tilting his head over to rinse the soap out of his long mane at the same time.

"Then what's the problem?" Apparently, Cloud couldn't find a problem, and so the only response was a small frown. Poor, innocent Cloud. He really needed to learn to tell when someone wanted something sexual. Slowly, the General conditioned his hair, allowing the blonde to do the same. It was amazing how, even with the weight of the water trying desperately to flatten out golden locks, Cloud's hair remained in bouncy, almost fluffy spikes of gold. When said blonde turned back around to place the soap, which Sephiroth noticed was vanilla, something became abundantly apparent. Cloud was slightly hard. Though he was nowhere near full hardness; there was nothing limp about him. A smirk crept back onto the Silver General's face and, without warning, encased the smaller member in his calloused hand. Cloud gasped; quickly reaching full alertness.

"Wh-what are you doi-" But Cloud didn't get a chance to finish his question as the General squeezed and began to pump.

"Returning the favor." Sephiroth explained easily as he began pumping. Cloud's tantalizing lip was dragged into the blonde's mouth again as he tried and failed to withhold a moan. With a growl, Sephiroth latched his mouth onto Cloud's and dragged that teasing bit of flesh and blood into his own mouth. The blonde had been asking for it as far as Sephiroth was concerned; always chewing on the infernal thing. Did he have any idea how seductive that simple action was? As the General explored every nook and cranny of the blonde's mouth, he was willing to admit what a stupid question that was. Of course he didn't know. Cloud was completely oblivious to his incredible sex appeal. Roughly, the General rubbed his thumb over the slit of Cloud's cock, drinking in the erotic moans that poured out of the blonde's throat. Before long, Cloud was subconsciously bucking into his hand; much like Sephiroth had barely stopped himself from doing when Cloud had sucked him off. It didn't take but a minute more for Cloud's delicious juices to spurt out, but that was to be expected from someone of such inexperience.

The blonde leaned heavily against Sephiroth, who just brought a semen-covered hand to his mouth and took a lazy lick. It was as delectable as he had imagined. After he finished cleaning his hand, he ran both appendages through soft blonde locks; easily washing the conditioner out before turning to his own. He did this while enjoying the sound of heavy panting from the blonde in leaning against him. Sure, it made him hard as Hell, but he could deal with that.

"Wh-what was _that_?" Came the out of breath question, and Sephiroth didn't even pause between finishing his hair and turning off the water as he gave a simple explanation.

"A hand job, more commonly known as, 'jacking off.'" When those words were said, Cloud pushed himself off of Sephiroth and looked up; locking gazes with the General.

"_That's_ what everyone was always talking about before they discovered sex?" He sounded surprised, and Sephiroth allowed a low chuckle to escape his throat.

"Yes. And sex feels a million times better." He knew that it was a stupid thing to say to a virgin like Cloud, but it was the truth. And who knew, maybe it would help the blonde along. Their eyes stayed connected for a moment longer before Cloud separated them completely to get a towel. Sephiroth started to move, but froze when he heard Cloud's departing questions. Slowly, a smirk spread across his face; the words echoing in his mind.

"_Really? Well, we'll just have to try that sometime, now won't we?" _

Yes. Yes they would.

***********

Vincent stared at Tseng's neck. What had he _done_!? There was a small black mark on the man's neck, right where the hybrid had bitten him. It wasn't that which had first caught his attention, but what form the black mark had taken. A cross with a diamond connecting each point. Vincent's familial crest. He had marked Tseng. That only happened during a mating ceremony though! And they hadn't been- they weren't- Chaos!

"Tseng, why were we having sex?" It sounded stupid, but he really needed to know. The Turk leader just looked at the ceiling, probably wondering why Vincent was staring so intently at his neck. It wasn't as if the crimson-eyed male had allowed him to look yet.

"Chaos said something about being in heat and attacked me." The younger male made it sound trivial. He wouldn't be so calm when he found out what had really gone on the night before. Vincent could only growl when he heard a familiar chuckle resound in the back of his mind. This was _definitely_ Chaos's doing.

"Demons only go into heat every thirty years, and if that were the case than we'd still be in bed right now." Vincent kept his tone monotonous while staring at his new Godforsaken _mate_. If Chaos wasn't a part of him, Vincent would murder the damned demon.

"Well, that sounds fun." Vincent pursed his lips together at the bored words before grabbing Tseng's arm and leading him out of the building. They needed to have a talk with his son, the time-traveler, the blue-haired male, and the Cetra. _Now_.

***********

Tseng allowed the handsome hybrid to near-drag him towards the ShinRa building. He felt stronger now than he had yesterday; a lot stronger. Faintly, he wondered if this was what a SOLDIER felt like. Everything was sharper, right down to the leaves blowing in the wind, and the younger Turk loved it. Whatever was happening, Tseng liked it. They entered the ShinRa building quickly and took the elevator to the Fifty-ninth floor. It had only four rooms: Sephiroth's office, Zack's office, a bathroom, and a relaxation room. The floor was off-limits to anyone without an authorization key. Tseng had one of the only four made. As they entered the floor and found only no one there, they settled in Sephiroth's office to wait. They wouldn't have to wait long.

***********

Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow when he entered his office. There were two people in his room that he wasn't used to seeing. Well, he wasn't used to seeing one of them. Tseng dropped by every once in a while. Still, the only offered explanation was a stale look from Vincent. That was enough, and Sephiroth sat down at his desk to wait; watching his blonde engage Tseng in a conversation about different weapons. At least he had time to burn.

***********

Genesis looked at the small town of Nibelheim with apathy. It was near time to put his plans into action. He would retrieve the girl first, then the almost-Turk, and lastly the woman in red. They would all be introduced in the morning. In a flash, the degenerating male was in the strange blonde's old home, the kitchen to be precise. Tifa looked over from cutting vegetables with shocked eyes, but quickly recovered.

"It's time." His voice sounded like silk, just as he knew it would. She smiled up at him.

"And we'll go and get my Zack for me, right?" She sounded confident, and Genesis didn't bother wasting the energy to nod, but someone else felt the need to respond.

"What do you mean you're going to get Zack? Who is this man?" It was the mother who spoke, and Genesis could tell immediately that she was only going to cause trouble.

"That's none of your business, Mother!" Tifa sounded agitated, probably from being kept away from the Second-in-Command.

"If he can help you get Zackary, couldn't he help me get the General? Why are you keeping this to yourself!? I didn't raise such a selfi--" The annoyingly harpy like woman didn't get to finish her sentence as a knife was plunged into her chest.

"You'll only mess things up! You always mess things up!" The knife was jerked out before being thrust back in, but into the abdomen this time. Blood began to pour out of her wound now that there was nothing to stop the flow. "Now I'm going," the blade went out and in again, "to go," out, in, "get my," out, in, "new husband!" And the knife used the most force yet, going straight through Miss Row's throat and splattering blood everywhere. The lifeless body fell to the floor, knife still in her throat, and a blood-spattered Tifa turned around with a slightly deranged grin on her face.

"Are we ready to go yet?"

***********

Zack threw open the door to Sephiroth's office with a smile. Aeris, who was itching to show off her knew ring, had accompanied him today. Strangely enough, they had received a lot of scared looks while walking by. What was even weirder was the fact that Tseng, Vincent, Sephiroth, and Cloud were all sitting in the office. It was almost as if they were waiting for him. In fact, as all eyes turned to him, Zack got the distinct feeling that they were, indeed, waiting for him. It was kind of creepy. Zack looked around for a moment before letting out a hesitant, "Hi?"

"We have a problem." This, surprisingly, came from Vincent. The First Class felt Aeris peek around from behind him.

"Would you all like anything to drink?" She asked tentatively. Zack, seeing that his fiancée was asking for an escape to what was promising to be a strange conversation, immediately agreed. In addition to his agreement, he also asked Cloud to accompany her. After all, who knew what brutes lurked about ShinRa? Vincent didn't seem to agree with that though as he put out a statement of monotonous disapproval.

"I think Cloud needs to hear this. His input would greatly help." Were the hybrid's words. Just as Zack was about to protest Vincent's protest, Cloud spoke up.

"I know precisely what you're going to say and will give you my thoughts on my return. Zack's reasons for my going with Aeris are more pressing than your…little problem." And once again, Zack was sure that Cloud knew everything. Well, he was until he remembered that he couldn't tell that Sephiroth was practically in love with him. Actually, as he watched the General catch his chocobo's gaze and hold it for a heated second, Zack came to a jumpy realization.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the Second-in-Command shouted, "You defiled my chocobo!" The walls were soundproof, though Cloud may have heard the words, Aeris certainly hadn't. And their one-sided conversation began.

Sephiroth leaned back a bit and folded his hands in his lap, getting as close to a pout as the stoic General could ever go. So Sephiroth only wished that he had taken the little chocobo as his own. Zack became confused at the response. They had definitely done _something_.

"You gave him a blow job?" The First Class completely ignored the other two men in the room as Sephiroth blinked at the question. There was an almost upward curl of the lips; Zack was close. And Sephiroth's unspoken answer earned a confused blink from Zack before he caught on. "_He _gave_ you _a blow job!? And what did you do for him in return, huh?" The First was sure that his tone sounded reprimanding as the General moved his eyes to the left ever-so-slightly. Cloud was the only subject that Zack could deal with better than Sephiroth, and the silver-haired man hated it. Also, by that small sign of annoyance, Zack knew that the General hadn't yet repaid the blonde fully. "A hand job, Seph. Really? You and I both know that's not equal trade. And emerald met amethyst in a challenging stare. "What!? _No_, I don't want you to go correct it _now_!! Spike would _kill_ me!"

"And_ why_, pray tell, would I kill you?" Cloud questioned lightly as he re-entered the room. An elegant chin tilted upwards a millimeter and arrogance seemed to roll off of Sephiroth in waves. They both knew that Zack couldn't say anything with both Cloud and Aeris in the room. As much as the First loved picking on his chocobo, the little blonde would be positively mortified to know that all of his closest friends knew about his newly made sex-life, and Zack just couldn't find it within himself to do that. At least, not _yet_, he couldn't. Zack quickly decided that the safest route would be to just look away innocently, and when he heard Cloud say, "Never mind, I probably don't want to know, anyways." The First grinned and took his coffee. Swiftly after the drinks were passed out, Zack claimed the last chair – the one that Cloud had previously been sitting in – for himself and pulled Aeris down on top of him. This left Cloud standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. The blonde chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, oblivious to what that simple action was doing to the General, whose hard green eyes were locked onto Cloud's lips, before walking over to the door and leaning against it.

Zack almost laughed at the scene. It didn't matter if Cloud had done something sexual or not; he was still an innocent idiot when it came to his sex appeal. Ah, someone needed to remind him to pray for Cloud when the blonde and the General finally managed to tie the knot. Their honeymoon was going to remove Cloud's ability to walk for quite a while, the way things were going. Oh well, he had his own seductress to deal with. And deal with her he would. She was beautiful and his. All his. And with her squirming around on his lap; trying to get into a comfortable position, it took everything he had not to make a sound at the pleasure of it. Hopefully, she would settle down soon…

***********

Tseng stared at the General. No matter how long he had known Sephiroth, he would _never_ be able to get that entire conversation out of those simple actions. It was impossible. He was snapped out of his revere as Cloud asked them if they had even heard Vincent out yet. They had not. And all attention turned to the hybrid. Said suit-clad male began speaking with his rubies locked on Cloud's sapphires. The younger Turk felt a pang of jealousy at the fact that Vincent was looking to Cloud for support instead of him.

"Tseng and I fucked last night on the pretenses of Chaos taking over my body and pretending to be in heat." Vincent stated this bluntly, eyes never leaving Cloud, and Zack's hands were over Aeris's ears in an instant, attempting to block out the bad words. Cloud showed no signs of surprise. "During this time period, I marked Tseng." Tseng blinked when Vincent said that. Marked? What did that mean. Apparently, Cloud knew exactly what it meant, as he simply nodded. Zackary, however, didn't, and asked what was on Tseng's mind.

"What's marked mean?" The First leaned back a little, bringing Aeris back with him without really noticing it.

"It means we're mates now. He'll start to feel the same power that I feel daily, we'll gain a mental link, and our bodies will begin to crave each other. If we separate for a long period of time, we'll die. If I die, he dies. If he gets sick, I get whatever strength he lost to somehow help him heal. We'll complete each other." And the more the hybrid talked, the more confused Tseng became. Why wasn't Vincent happy? After all, it sounded like a pretty nice deal to him. But Vincent wasn't finished. "And I know this didn't happen before because you said that Tseng died before me. So what's going on?" Vincent ended his speech questioningly, and Tseng wished that he could answer, but he couldn't, so he turned his chocolate brown eyes to Cloud instead.

"To mate with someone, you have to be one hundred percent mentally and emotionally compatible. The mating takes care of any physical differences; such as: health, strength, and stamina. Chaos has been begging for you to mark him because he accepts that Tseng is your match." Cloud said it all like he was reading from a book, but was interrupted by Vincent.

"How do you know what Chaos has been saying?" The hybrid sounded almost lost.

"You refused to listen to him all throughout the future, and a few of the times when he took control of your body, he came over to have a chat with me. You were miserable because you refused to accept him, and so was he. The only problem was that his misery was unjust. Tseng had no explanation as to why he could find love like everyone else could. I told you countless times that it was only your _cowardice_ keeping you two apart, but you didn't listen." And even though the reprimanding words had been directed towards Vincent, Tseng had the urge to flinch or at least look away in shame. Vincent, however, did no such thing. Instead, these words only served to make the hybrid strangely angry. Though the Turk leader had known the hybrid for only a few days, there was no doubt in his mind that Vincent had a seemingly endless temper. That could only mean that the whole 'mate' ordeal was really getting to him. Was the thought of being with Tseng really that bad? Vincent stood angrily, snarling out a response to the blonde's words without breaking eye contact.

"I've made him a fucking _monster_! Do you _really _think he would have agreed if he had known the full affects of being mated to me?! Hojo made me into a freak and now I've passed it along to him! Doesn't that make me just as bad!?" And Vincent's broken, angry words made Tseng angry as well.

"Don't I get a choice in the matter? What if I _do_ want to be with you? Do you really think that you can make my decisions for me and just expect me to sit back and go along with it?" By this time, Tseng had stood as well, grabbing Vincent's chin to force frustrated rubies into a staring contest with chocolate orbs. "Let me tell you this, Vincent Valentine. Now that I've got you, you're going to have to do a Hell of a lot more than bitch and moan to get rid of me. Is that understood?" Tseng kept his voice hard, holding the hybrid's gaze until the frustration ebbed away, and was replaced by confused understanding. Slowly, Vincent nodded, and the younger Turk simply let him go and sat down gracefully, as if the entire conversation had never happened.

************

Cloud stared unseeingly at Vincent. He had been too harsh on the man, he knew, but he hadn't been able to help it. Why couldn't the hybrid have placed himself in Tseng's shoes and realized that not knowing why love evaded only him was worse than being a monster? Cloud had been both a broken freak and love had avoided him like the plague. It had hurt. Oh, how it had hurt; seeing everyone else finding the man or woman of their dreams while he had been glared at for standing near a child. It didn't matter that he had saved the world on multiple occasions; he was still nothing more than a threat. After all, he had killed their unbeatable General. Sometimes, he wished that Sephiroth had won the first time, but then he would immediately berate himself for being so selfish. Cloud supposed that it didn't matter now. He had someone who loved him. Not just any someone, but the great General Sephiroth himself. And maybe said General could make the pain go away…

The blonde was sure that no one in the room noticed as his blue orbs glazed over slightly; the only visible sign that he was living in the past once more. He was sure that everyone was paying attention to the newly mated couple, and, in turn, didn't notice the intense green eyes watching his every move.

************

Aeris watched as Vincent slowly sat down and Zack deemed it safe enough to remove his hands from her ears. She barely noticed. Vincent and Tseng finding each other only made her remember how some people were just made for each other. Surely, someone had been made just for Zack, too; someone just as beautifully perfect as him. Suddenly, the ring on her finger felt heavy. She didn't deserve him. He didn't know that she had already been tainted; used. Aeris couldn't find it within herself to trick him like that.

"I can't do this!" Quickly, The Cetra jumped up from Zack's lap, and only his reflexes stopped the steaming coffee from spilling on her. A swift spin had Aeris facing a shocked Zack, Teal eyes clouding over with tears. "I'm not as perfect as you think I am. I'm not good enough for you. I'm not-" But Aeris's panicked ramblings were cut off as Zack forgot about the coffee, allowing it to slip from his fingers and fall to Sephiroth's pristine white floor with a crash, and rushed to comfort her. She immediately tried to free herself from his tight grasp, but it proved useless with his superior strength and left her a sobbing mess in his arms. "N-no. I can't…"

"What can't you do?" Zack's voice was as gentle as he was; cradling her in his arms like a glass rose.

"Marry you! I'm- I'm not good enough. I don't deserve you! I… I…" And Aeris broke into sobs once more.

"Oh, _Honey_! What would make you think a silly thing like that?" And he comforted her while asking in such soft tones that should have reduced her heart-wracking sobs to silent tears. Yet, with the knowledge that such kindness could never be hers, Aeris only cried harder.

"I'm- I'm not perfect like Cloud is," She missed the blonde bows which rose at being dragged into the predicament and continued, "I've been used, and you deserve better, so much better." Though riddled with sobs and pauses, and though almost every word was stuttered, she managed to get through her confession.

"Aeris, Honey, what are you talking about?" Truly, Zack sounded confused, and Aeris knew that she would have to clarify; he had to know.

"I was raped." The admission was quiet, but every soul in the room heard it as if it had been yelled.

"_What?_" Disbelief and anger dripped from his single-worded response, and if Aeris had gathered the courage to look up then she would have seen that the anger was directed not towards her, but whomever had raped her. She would have seen the guilt in his eyes at not being able to protect her; if only she had looked up.

"I know and I'm _sorry_! I don't deserve you, _Gaia_, I don't deserve you…" No words were stuttered, and no pauses took place. Only the quiet shaking of her voice audibly betrayed her emotional state. Surprisingly, it was not Zack who responded to her words, but Sephiroth.

"You're an idiot." The words had no venom in them, no emotion at all, really. Still, the Cetra flinched.

"Seph! She's not an--" Zack quickly rushed to her rescue, but was interrupted by the ever stoic General.

"But she is. For one, she actually thinks that whether or not she's had sex will affect your feelings for her." Aeris shocking everyone, looked up at Sephiroth and cut off whatever his second reason for her stupidity was.

"Don't you see!? Whether he loves me or not, I'm just not _good enough_ for him!" And her voice broke when she said the words 'good enough' her tone no longer a sad whisper, but a near-hysterical shout.

"And you think that I deserve Cloud? No. But I'm certainly not going to _complain_. Now stop making a fool out of yourself and accept what Gaia has graced you with." His tone suggested slightly condescending boredom, as per usual, but Aeris could tell that he was trying to help, at least slightly. Zack had told her once that the imposing General wasn't an overly religious person; he believed in Mother Gaia, but didn't allow his fate to rest in her hands. This only helped her to realize that he was trying faintly to help her see that the fact that she had been used already and that Zack was too good for her didn't matter. It appeared, however, that the little speech was all that the General was willing to give, and Aeris faintly wondered why he had done it the first place. He hadn't looked at her once the entire time.

The Cetra slowly, and through tear-blurred vision, traced his line of sight over to Cloud, who was too focused on her and her wellbeing to notice. A small smile graced her lips, and she could taste the salty flavor of her tears. She understood now. Cloud was quickly becoming Sephiroth's world, and if she was unhappy then Cloud would be unhappy. If Cloud wasn't as giddy as the General could possibly make him then Sephiroth wasn't happy. As long as she was friends with Cloud, Sephiroth would be at her back. Besides, what he said made sense; who was she to deny Gaia's gift, aka one Zackary Fair? She was no one.

"Thank you." Aeris nearly whispered her gratitude, but the emotion in those two simple words was overflowing. Finally, after Cloud had relaxed a bit, Sephiroth looked over to the couple. Without sparing Aeris a second glance, the General made eye contact with Zack and spoke just once more.

"Zackary, clean up your coffee." The simple command was spoken like the scene had never taken place, and Aeris felt more than heard Zack's chest rumbling with laughter. Suddenly, she was laughing with him, and everything was alright. And everything was sure to stay alright as Zack went to get a rag for his coffee.

*************

Sephiroth had returned his attentions to Cloud as soon as Zack had left the room. Now that they had finished what Zack had quickly deemed as, "Couple's therapy," they could get down to what had happened yesterday with Cloud. Of course, Zackary would have to get back first for him to do that. As the General sat back and waited for his Second-in-Command to return, he allowed his mind to wander to the look he had seen overtake Cloud's face after Vincent had told his reasons for being so reluctant about his relationship with Tseng. What had been going through his blonde's mind? Though he didn't know now, and he wouldn't bring it up here, he _would_ find out. He would know everything about the blonde time-traveler eventually. It was all a matter of time. But fuck if he didn't wonder about the man _now_. Zack came back slowly but surely, and knelt down to clean up the cooled liquid. Miss Gainsborough reached out to help, but the First class waved off her attempts at help and did it himself. Sephiroth was glad, as he hated having a mess on his hands.

Of course, if it were Cloud and him making the mess, then perhaps he wouldn't mind as much… When the overly-sugared coffee was staining a rag instead of the floor, Zack stood again and left once more to get rid of the newly soaked cloth. Quicker than before, Zackary returned and sat down, dragging a much happier Aeris down on top of him.

"Your turn, Spike. What happened yesterday?" Zack said it in one breath, and waited anxiously for an answer. Sephiroth waited too. No battle information or war tactic had ever gotten the General to pay attention like Cloud did.

"Yesterday was my day to sleep. The need for said sleep hit me just before I left the office and found Aeris getting harassed by a bunch of cadets." The blonde stopped before Zackary could interrupt him, probably knowing that the First would have questions.

"What do you mean they were harassing her!?" The blue-haired male's voice was raised unnecessarily in the small-ish room.

"Exactly what I said; taunts and almost hits. She was scared to death, and I stepped in. You got so many looks today," The blonde paused once more to get a nod saying that Zackary had gotten strange looks before continuing, " because they saw that what I said had been true. They had messed with Lieutenant Fair's fiancée. After that, I walked Aeris home and--" This time, it seemed that he was thinking about what to say next. Minutes passed before he went on. "And I was so tired. Everything was heavy, and suddenly I was against a wall. I'm not sure what happened after that. I just wanted to sleep and get the nightmares over with. Still, I couldn't move; it was too much. And then Sephiroth was there… I don't think I'd ever been happier to see anyone in my life, but I couldn't think about it then. All I know is that when he got me, I felt so… _safe_. Really, I can't remember the last time I felt so completely and totally safe. And then I was asleep. I slept for at least six hours, I know."

At that point, Sapphire orbs looked away from a spot on the ceiling where they had been previously fixated. Almost instantly, they locked with emeralds, as if asking for confirmation of some sort. Sephiroth immediately clarified. "You were asleep for seven hours and twenty-seven minutes." Though the General hadn't been doing anything but watching Cloud, he always had a sense of time about him. When Cloud returned his eyes to the ceiling Sephiroth had the urge to frown. He wanted to keep some form of direct contact with Cloud, and the blonde wasn't cooperating.

"I woke up next to the General and we…" Cloud trailed off before coughing into his hand, a faint blush crawling up his cheeks. Sephiroth thought of helping the young blonde, but his help would just make the endearing blush fade, and that simply wouldn't do. Once Cloud realized that no one was coming to his rescue, he bit his lip and went on. "We, well,_ I_ kind of…gaveSephirothablowjob." Blue eyes had squeezed closed when rushing through the last part of his sentence. In fact, Sephiroth himself had almost had trouble understanding the deformed excuse for a sentence. Zackary was the one to break the silence.

"Well, how was it?" Zackary leaned forward, genuinely curious about how Cloud felt, and the General felt his lips twitch upwards slightly. Cloud's blush was darkening by the moment.

"Umm… I really don't think we need to--" Vincent stopped Cloud mid-sentence with a raise of his hand.

"Did you feel any pain?" The hybrid's question was serious, making the dark pink blush fade slightly. Sephiroth looked at his father with light interest, wondering where this was going.

"Sort of. I mean, it was just a small wave of it; nothing too much." And the blush faded a bit more as Cloud answered, only to come back at full force at Vincent's next question.

"And this pain happened when you swallowed his semen, correct?" Either the eldest male was oblivious to Cloud's discomfort, which Sephiroth highly doubted, or he just didn't care, as he continued to stare the blonde down.

"Y-yes, but what does this have to--" Cloud abruptly cut himself off, his blue eyes widening minutely in realization. "The _mako_…" The whispered words meant nearly nothing to Sephiroth, but Cloud had said them like he would after finding an oasis in the middle of the desert; a small smile slipping onto his lips. That was all it took to pique the General's curiosity and his mind quickly went into overdrive; identifying all of the puzzle pieces before sliding them together easily. Sephiroth cocked his brows a bit when he finished his metaphorical puzzle, saying what both his father and his lover were thinking.

"You're purifying the diluted mako in my semen." Coming from anyone else the words would have been a question, but – seeing as they came from the General – they formed a simple statement. Cloud's head bobbed up and down quickly and excitedly.

"Yes! Vincent, you're a genius! This'll prevent me from having to find a fairly large source of mako to purify every month and the pain that comes along with it! Vincent, have I told you that you're a genius yet?" For a minute, Cloud seemed like a child on a sugar high; a sparkle of excitement shining brightly in his eyes, and Sephiroth found that the look – happiness – suited the blonde man.

The usually red-cloaked male stared at Cloud for a moment before, "You might have mentioned it." Though there was no emotion in the voice and none showed on his face, Sephiroth could tell that Vincent was already falling back into the 'motherly' roll for Cloud. It was probably hard not to. The blonde had a way of getting tangled up in people's heart-strings and not even realizing it. Zackary seemed to be a bit confused though. He even forgot to cover the Cetra's ears.

"Wait…so you're trying to say that Spike's just gotta have sex with Seph to stay alive?"The First sounded almost skeptical.

"No, he just has to get Sephiroth's semen in him somehow. It doesn't have to be through sex. Besides, if they're not comfortable with it than Mr. Strife just has to find a fairly large source of mako every month or so and purify it. But that causes excruciating pain from what he's told me." Tseng supplied information to Zackary like a true Turk; in clean cut and text book format.

"It does, and it's worse than anything Hojo could ever do. If I can avoid going through it, I will. But, we haven't gotten your opinion yet, General. I mean, we just, you know, _got together_. If you don't want to rush into something like that then…" Cloud trailed off uncertainly, innocent blue eyes boring into experienced green, and Sephiroth fell in love the blonde a little more. Even with his own well being on the line he put others before himself. Darkly, the General knew that he would have to end that little habit. From here on out, it was _Cloud_ who would be taken care of. The General wouldn't let anything happen to the blonde, no matter what.  
"I don't believe that we're going to have a problem with my consent, Mr. Strife. The only question is: how often does this need to happen?" Truly, if they needed to go at it a few times a day then Sephiroth would be fine. In fact, Cloud bent over his desk moaning his name sounded spectacular right about now. Yet he wanted their first time to be in a bed… The General almost frowned. He supposed the desk could wait.

"I don't know for sure, but I'm supposing that since an extremely large amount lasts me for around a month; a 'just large enough to be purified' amount would last me for a day or two. Would that work?" As Cloud asked that question, Sephiroth couldn't help but imagine the lithe blonde's body underneath his own every night for the rest of his life. He couldn't agree soon enough.

"I don't see why not." It was harder than ever before for Sephiroth to keep a straight face and voice. The General was sure that Zackary saw through his façade, but Cloud obviously didn't as he gave one of his heart-stopping smiles and nodded innocently. Sephiroth was captivated immediately. Fuck, he didn't know how long he would be able to hold out if the blonde kept doing things like that. It was only a minute before a thoughtful look flashed through blue eyes and Cloud spoke once more.

"But, what I was trying to get at was the fact that I actually slept. I sleep about once a month and only for an hour or two at that. How could I have went so long? On top of that, there were no nightmares…" He sounded confused, but Sephiroth had no answer. Aeris, however, seemed to.

"You said you felt safe, right?" Her voice was soft-spoken, and had a questioning tone to it, but the words were obviously rhetorical as she continued without a response. "Maybe that's all you really needed. You couldn't sleep for the constant fear that either you or someone close to you would be hurt. So if you felt a sense of security then your body wouldn't feel such an intense need to stay awake. Correct?" This time, she waited for an answer.

"I suppose that makes sense, but what made me feel safe?" Cloud truly looked confused, and the General nearly shook his head. He had easily made the connection when he had thought about how Cloud had refused to let go of him the first time. Oh well, it would click for him eventually.

"My brilliant fiancée figured out the first part of your problem; the next one's yours." Zackary had a good-hearted grin on his face and Sephiroth knew immediately that the First Class had pieced it together as well. A slow nod showed that the blonde agreed, and Sephiroth sat leaned back ever-so-slightly; content with the results of the little session.

**********

Zack watched as SOLDIERs and cadets – not counting First Classes – alike ran around the track. Maybe they would learn not to mess with Aeris, or any woman for that matter, next time. His only problem was the fact that regulation said that Cloud had to participate in the punishment as well. As the first man, Cloud, crossed the line for the two hundredth time, Zack ordered another fifty laps. When he considered the fact that each and every lap was a mile, and that even the Second Classes were having trouble so much as walking another lap, perhaps he was being unreasonable, but that didn't matter. Cloud was still doing everything without problem; why couldn't they? Once more, Zack ignored the little voice telling him that they had been doing nonstop sword work – with buster swords no less – along with other bits of rigorous training. In fact, it was a wonder that Cloud was still working like they had just started. Even his Firsts would be getting a bit tired by this time. Still, bright blonde hair bounced along at the same, upbeat pace that it had started with, and Zack was sure that he had lapped every man and woman on the track at least seven times over. Well, whatever doesn't kill them would make them stronger, or at least teach them to stay away from Aeris. He could live with either of those options.

After another hour with the troops, Zack spotted Adrian walking towards the weight room and motioned him over. The other First jogged over almost immediately, and Zack, for the first time in a long time, gave an order.

"Keep them doing some sort of physical exercise until eight, alright?" His voice left no room for arguments, though it was nowhere near as hard as Sephiroth's, and earned a quick nod. Zack nodded back and began to walk away; towards both his office and his fiancée.

***********

Adrian looked back and forth between Zack's retreating back and the ready-to-drop SOLDIERs and cadets going around the track. Immediately, he spotted Cloud, and thought about waving him over and asking what was wrong – considering that the blonde was the only one who didn't look like they were about to die – but decided against it. It was a rare thing for Zack to give an order out of battle, but when he did, it wasn't to be questioned. Shrugging off the strangeness of the situation, Adrian dug his favorite indigo whistle out of his pocket and blew, completely forgetting that he had been meaning to go to the weight room to meet his lover, another First Class.

"Seventy-two more laps and then forty-eight push-ups!" The cadets looked positively horrified at his request and the SOLDIERs seemed to be thinking about offing themselves. Only Cloud remained perfectly emotionless. Personally, Adrian had just said the first numbers that had popped into his head. As they circled the track as slowly as they could while still running, the First wondered if it was possible to have orange juice delivered with his pizza. He would have to ask Jackary later. That man knew everything. And so, Adrian spaced out, unaware that said man was currently tapping his foot in the weight room, waiting for him to arrive.

***********

For the first time ever, Sephiroth went home at eight o'clock, just like everyone else. He did this for promises of pretty blue eyes staring up at him in their first throws of ecstasy. Though no promises had been made that tonight they would start their arrangement, Sephiroth was sure that he could convince Cloud to do so. Even if he couldn't, the General was a patient man, and could wait as long as Cloud needed. He was beginning to doubt that there was anything he wouldn't do for his blonde. Both Cloud and he had parted ways with Zackary and the Cetra moments before and spent the remainder of their walk home in a comfortable silence. As they entered the house, Cloud made what Sephiroth thought to be a strange comment.

"We really need to decorate." Cloud's voice echoed slightly throughout the room, and while Sephiroth took note of the meaning in the sentence, he could not help but focus most of his attention on the simple fact that Cloud had said, "We." "Do you like the color blue? I think blue and white would be a lovely mix. Perhaps we could even throw some green in. What do you think?" And again, Cloud checked to see what Sephiroth thought. Personally, he would get to keep his white, and the blue would clash beautifully with Cloud's eyes, so he was perfectly happy with the color arrangement. Also, green would be a nice touch as the General was rather fond of the color.

"I have no arguments with such an arrangement." Sephiroth agreed tonelessly, which brought about another question from young Strife.

"Why do you do that?" Cloud looked as sad as he sounded when asking that question, large blue orbs gazing upwards as a slight hand was lain on the General's pectoral, but Sephiroth wasn't sure what he was referring to and could not respond accordingly.

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth hated asking such a question, as it made him feel inferior somehow, but the necessity was there.

"Why do you hide your emotions at all times? I understand when in battle or around strangers, but why around your loved ones?" He seemed truly concerned about this, and Sephiroth answered the only way he knew how.

"Humans are creatures of habit, and seeing as I was raised to hide said emotions I… _do_." The General kept his eyes trained on Cloud's form, wondering how he would react. It was better than Sephiroth had ever thought that it would be. Cloud leaned forward and up, placing his lips just in front of Sephiroth's before whispering what Sephiroth considered to be the most seductive words that he had ever heard.

"_Break that habit_." The message was loud and clear as Cloud pressed his lips against Sephiroth's, and the General had never been one to disobey a direct order. Though Cloud had initiated the kiss, he was in no way in control, which showed as Sephiroth quickly devoured his mouth. He savored every second of the sweet flavor known as Cloud while pressing the smaller male gently backwards. Sephiroth was going to treasure every moment of their first time together; of Cloud's first time period. Soon enough they were in his room, the king sized bed practically begging to be used. Soon enough, the pleas were granted response and Cloud was pressed against the soft, polyester sheets. Quite suddenly, Sephiroth separated his mouth from Cloud's and traveled a few centimeters lower, nipping and sucking at his jugular vein.

The action earned a quiet mewl and Sephiroth paused momentarily, relishing the new sound, before continuing. He soon found that, no matter where he went, Cloud was _sensitive_, and the General loved it. Strong hands traced Cloud's sides all the way down to the blonde's slim hips before tugging the standard military-uniform shirt free from the pants. With as quickly and gently as he had done it, the General doubted that Cloud had noticed. So, as he nipped at the perfectly shaped collarbone, he kept his green orbs trained on the blonde's face, waiting for the perfect moment. A wet tongue slipped out to lick at the new mark and Cloud whimpered, unknowingly giving Sephiroth the sign to continue. Swiftly, he slipped one hand up the shirt, which was tight enough for said hand to barely fit, but Sephiroth was fine with that. The noises coming from Cloud increased as Sephiroth kept up his ministrations on the juncture of the collarbone, rolled a hardened nipple between his fingers, and began unbuttoning the material which separated him from replacing his fingers with his mouth with his free hand. The offending material was off within seconds, and Sephiroth pushed the white undershirt up right after it. Soon enough, the blonde was half naked, and Sephiroth was lavishing a hard nub with attention; rolling it between his teeth lovingly.

Still, it wasn't enough. Sephiroth wanted every inch of Cloud, and every inch he would have. Sephiroth paused in his ministrations once more when he felt slightly calloused hands clumsily unbuttoning his own shirt. Slowly, he smiled against the nub, staying there for just a moment longer before attacking Cloud's mouth again. He was so delicious, and the scent of vanilla was still wafting off of his body from the shower that morning. With ease, the General helped finish unbuttoning his pristine white shirt before swiftly pulling his arms out; tossing his leather jacket to the floor at the same time. Inexperienced hands ran along his chest and, as much as Sephiroth enjoyed the touch, he wasn't the one who would be taken care of this time. At least, not yet. The hand which had previously been unfastening the buttons on both Cloud's and his own shirt went for the hands and pinned them above blonde hair. As that happened, the other hand went down to relieve Cloud of his trousers. Gaia, Sephiroth loved being ambidextrous. They were easily unbuttoned and unzipped before the General lifted the blonde's lower half upwards by his lower back and slid his hand all the way down to Cloud's knees, taking the pants with him.

It didn't take long after that for Sephiroth to remove the pants completely, and when that happened, the General pulled himself up to get a complete look at his beautiful blonde. Every stunning inch of tanned skin was temptingly shining in the dim light of the moon through the unopened window. Even with scars littering the smaller body, Cloud was the most stunning thing that Sephiroth had ever seen. And with Cloud's hands pinned above his head, looking completely submissive, Sephiroth felt his pants become unbearably tight. Swiftly, he undid his own trousers, letting go of Cloud and standing beside the bed to remove them from his person. In another instant, Sephiroth was back on top of Cloud. Unable to restrain himself further, the General slipped a hand up to Cloud's abused mouth, moaning lowly as the blonde willingly sucked two fingers into his mouth. Swiftly, before he lost control, the General retracted his fingers and replaced it with his mouth; noticing that Cloud barely tensed at all when he began to circle Cloud's entrance with his lubricated index finger. When what little tenseness that was there had left, Sephiroth penetrated Cloud with the first finger.

The General deepened the kiss even further to keep Cloud's mind occupied before slowly moving his finger. After only a bit, Sephiroth added another digit. He began scissoring Cloud and, once again, waited only for very little before adding yet another finger. Quickly, he began angling his fingers, trying to find the spot that would have Cloud arching off the bed. Said spot was found when the General hooked his fingers slightly to the left, making Cloud, as predicted, arch off of the bed. That also appeared to be all he needed to go off the edge as cum spurted out of Cloud's now softening cock. Sephiroth leaned down and licked a bit of the delectable liquid off of Cloud's chest, pulling his fingers out of Cloud at the same time and taking some of said liquid off of his own chest before lathering his leaking erection with the cum. The General positioned himself at Cloud's entrance before leaning over the blonde.

"Look at me, Cloud." Hazy blue eyes opened and stared into clear, determined green. As soon as he was sure that he could see every emotion that Cloud had to offer, Sephiroth thrust into the tight, hot entrance; it was better to get the painful part over with than to drag it out. They let out simultaneous moans; Cloud because Sephiroth had aimed right for his prostate and Sephiroth because he had never felt anything so wonderful. The General couldn't remember the last time he had had a virgin, but he was sure that it hadn't been so tight. His hair fell over both shoulders, but Sephiroth didn't notice; too entranced by the intensely tight heat and lust-filled blue eyes.

***********

Cloud had never felt anything so spectacular his life, but as he looked into Sephiroth's emerald orbs, it was realization which filled his mind. Long, silver locks surrounded Cloud, encasing both Sephiroth and him in their own little world; a world where only they existed. And as he found a caring emotion shining through emerald orbs, he came to another realization.

"I love you, too." The pain of being entered for the first time barely registered in his mind when he said this, and why would it? He had been through much worse. Sephiroth didn't move when he said that; just kept staring into Cloud's eyes. The caring emotion grew stronger, brightening emerald orbs, before the mocking emotion, nay; _lust_ spiked up and darkened them to a near forest green color. Sephiroth slowly leaned down to his ear, nipping at the sensitive skin before speaking.

"Say it again." Sephiroth demanded using the same words that Cloud had. Cloud complied.

"I love--" The last word came out in a panted breath as Sephiroth pulled out and quickly thrust back in, hitting his prostate dead on yet again. But Cloud didn't stop repeating himself, saying the three words like a mantra as the General set an extremely fast pace. As if the pleasure wasn't overwhelming enough, Sephiroth wrapped his calloused hand around Cloud's erection and began to stroke in time with his thrusts. Again and again Cloud ran through his mantra, wrapping his legs tightly around Sephiroth's waist on instinct to pull them closer, to make the feeling last longer. Cloud's slim hips were rocking back and forth in time with the General, pushing Sephiroth farther and deeper inside of him each time. His normally soft voice was raised to near shouting levels and had broken many times over. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I- _Sephiroth_!" The blonde screamed the General's name in ecstasy as he came, unable to stop himself from tightening around the pulsating cock inside of him. Soon after that, Cloud moaned once more, loud and low, as he felt Sephiroth's hot seed spill inside of him. Pain rushed through his body, but it only seemed to intensify the pleasure in that moment of wondrous ecstasy. The General leaned down for one last kiss as he rode out their orgasm, thrusting in and out only a few more times before coming to a complete halt inside of Cloud.

They lay there, panting and sweaty for a long while before Sephiroth finally pulled out of him, leaving Cloud feeling momentarily empty before the General rolled off of him and slid one arm under his waist, the other simply draping itself over his chest. Blue eyes stared into green lovingly before Sephiroth asked what Cloud thought to be an excellent question.

"Are you positive that once a day will be enough for you to live by?" The words were laced with love and seductive promises of what was to come, yet said as if the General had been asking about the weather, and it brought a smile to the blonde's face.

"Not completely."

***********

Scarlet walked down the halls of ShinRa incorporated with a cold glare on her face. She had just learned two things, and neither of them fit into her plans. First off, Little Rufus wasn't willing to give her the company anymore; he wanted _Reeve _to have it. The mere thought of the scientist had her snarling. He was the only man that had ever turned her down, and for what? To go after her sniveling little brother! On top of that, even if she managed to get rid of Reeve, her Gaia-damned father planned on marrying him off to the Wutai princess! Either way, _someone else_ would get the company! That's when a sinister plot popped into her head, solving both of her problems. Swiftly, she changed her direction to the underground labs. First, she would take care of Reeve, and then she would move onto the little princess, or, at least the only reason that she would be coming into the family.

With renewed vigor, she sauntered throughout the labs, wasting very little time before reaching the man she wanted to see. She

"Professor Hojo! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Her voice had a flirting tone to it and she looked sultrily up at him through thick lashes. He looked at her, a crooked grin on his face.

"I'm sure you have." His voice was deep, and Scarlet enjoyed listening to it. Though she was in no way attracted to the man, and he was in no way attracted to her, they often acted like it. Perhaps if he was younger she would like him in a more sexual manner, considering that he hadn't always looked so repulsive. She had seen pictures of his younger self who had healthy locks of chocolate sitting perfectly atop his head, and lively brown orbs had fitted flawlessly onto his face. He had been more muscle than bone and hadn't hunched his back. He had worn a genuine smile instead of a sadistic, crooked grin. Now his eyes were sunken in, with a hollow touch to them, if one could get a good look at them through his glasses, and greasy hair lay flat upon his noggin.

"I need to take care of someone for me, alright? Make him disappear; I don't care how." Immediately, Scarlet got down to business. Normally, she would have gone to the Turks for such a job, but they just wouldn't do this time. They had too many connections with the lazy scientist. Hojo's head simply tilted to the left slightly, his grin growing.

"And who might that be?" His voice had tinted slightly to the sadistic side, just as Scarlet had known it would.

"Reeve Tuesti." Her words came out in a confident drawl, and Scarlet awaited his reaction eagerly. It wasn't what she expected. Almost immediately after the name fell from her lips his grin vanished, and his back straightened.

"No." The words were as cold as ice, and she scowled.

"It wasn't a request, _Professor_." Before he could say another word, she was out the door. He would comply, just as he always had.

Scarlet made her way to her father's office immediately afterwards, her good mood still firmly in place. She knocked lightly upon arrival and received an almost immediate response telling her to come in.

"What is it you wanted, Sweetie?" Rufus ShinRa Sr. looked up with a small smile, but that kind gesture fell as soon as he saw the pistol in her hands pointed straight at him.

"Your company." Her whispered words were drown out by the gun firing a bullet straight into the old male's forehead. He really shouldn't have taught her to shoot so well. With a happy smile, she glanced over her work. He couldn't sign the marriage contract if he was dead. She slipped the weapon into her pocket easily before walking out and shutting the door behind her. If only she knew that the ink on the ShinRa-Kisaragi contract had dried hours ago…

************

Hojo stared at where Scarlet had stood half an hour ago. He still hadn't moved. Many people asked him why he did the things he did; how he could go through with such cruel experiments. There was a simple answer that he had never used: his children. Long ago, he had fallen in love, in love with a Cetra. This had been fine, seeing as he was a Cetra as well, and they had been happy. The couple had birthed two beautiful children together: Reeve and Aeris. That was before ShinRa's raid. The SOLDIERs had invaded his small town and killed nearly everyone, his wife included. It wasn't until they saw his inventions that they actually listened to his pleas. It was the agreement that he had made that night which allowed him to do such things.

If he would do ShinRa's biddings, his children would be safe. Aeris had been taken to a church in the slums and watched over by Turks, and the last time Hojo had seen her had been two years ago, the last time he had snuck down to see her. She always gave him a flower when he visited, and he always pressed them between the pages of books. He had fifteen flowers now. Reeve, on the other hand, had been taken back to ShinRa with Hojo, but given free will. The young boy had grown up wonderfully, and Hojo couldn't possibly be more proud. Of course, as a Cetra Hojo hated seeing people in pain. It had been a near impossibility the first time that he had received something and been told to experiment on it.

That's when he had decided to block his connection with Mother Gaia. It had hurt, and he still felt like a large part of him was missing, but his children had been safe. Now, they were being threatened again, and Hojo had only one option: reconnect with Mother Gaia. And so he would. For the sake of his children, he would.

***********

Cid watched as the Wutai woman's eyes slid open. She had slept for an entire day, and Cid had, in turn, been awake for an entire day. He couldn't sleep with the thought that some softy little girl could die while he was off in dream land. So when the brown eyes fluttered open, he was more than relieved. But on top of that relief, he was angry.

"The fuck d'you think you were _doing_; flyin' a jet like that right ov'r a town like this!?" He shouted at the newly conscious girl. Really, Rocket Town was the Wutai-hating center of the world. At least, as far as Cid could tell it was. Her eyes held a shocked emotion before turning to fire.

"I was _trying_ to get somewhere safe until you _idiots_ shot me down!" The young girl shouted right back, a slight accent tinting her words. She was definitely born in Wutai territory.

"Hey now, Girly! I didn't fuckin' shoot ya down! An' even if I had, it aint my damned fault that you were dumb enough to go soarin' ov'r Rocket Town in that fucking Wutai _fighter _jet!" Cid wasn't about to be shown up in a shouting contest by some teenager who wasn't smart enough to keep away from enemy lines.

"Oh Heck to the no! You are _not_ putting the blame on--" She stopped abruptly, probably because Cid had begun to laugh. The little spit-fire didn't cuss. "What are you laughing at!?" Her voice raised two octaves, and Cid laughed even harder. "Tell me why you're laughing!" By this time she had stood from her temporary bed and was and looked as if she were damn near ready to stomp her foot and throw a tantrum. He continued laughing as he stood up, and all the way to the door; ignoring her indignant cries. Something told him that he had opened up a whole new can of worms by saving the little spit-fire's life, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't have fun with it.

************

Vincent looked over at Tseng's sleeping face. He wasn't sure about having a mate, and was still a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but he couldn't say that he regretted it. The entire day after Tseng had found out, he had lavished Vincent with attention, trying to get the hybrid to accept him. Vincent would never admit to it aloud, but it was working. Everything about the younger man was getting to Vincent; from the way he carried himself to how brown his eyes were. Slowly, almost uncertain of his actions, Vincent snuggled into the sleeping body beside him. He supposed he could enjoy it, at least while Tseng was asleep. The hybrid never noticed chocolate brown eyes staring affectionately down at him, and he wouldn't for a while as he fell asleep against the toned chest. It would be the best sleep he had ever had. If only he had known just how many lives would be spiraling out of control come morning…


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_**Author's Note: **__Don't kill me for this chapter, okay? Also, I just found out that I have a Zack/Aeris fan within our midst. Just for he/she, the last chapter will contain their honeymoon. Is that good? And this chapter goes out to MeykoLove, for taking the time to write a huge review. Thanks. It really helps, and though this chapter's only around seven thousand words, it packs a punch. _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own it. Really, I don't._

_**Warning:**__ Violence. Slash. Non-Slash. _

Reno awoke with a start; a raging hard-on catching his attention immediately. Damn it. The red head lay himself back onto the bed, knowing that he wouldn't have much time to take care of his problem. It shouldn't be hard to get rid of though, considering how vividly he could remember his dream. _A letter was sitting on his bed. It was from the Turks. They had made a mistake and wanted him among their ranks._ His hand slipped beneath the thin material of his boxers. _Cloud knew, too. He was impressed; wanted to see Reno's skills._ The nearly calloused hand ran itself over sensitive skin roughly. _Reno had no problem with showing Cloud what he had, and they began to spar._ The strokes became faster with each passing second_. The blonde wasn't any good, and was pinned almost immediately, but Reno wasn't surprised. In fact, the thought that he was so much stronger than Cloud was a turn on. Their lips connected heatedly._ A sharp squeeze and a finger running over the slit intensified the sensations.

"_I love you, Reno, I always have." Cloud's words were music to Reno's ears, and they were suddenly naked in a hotel room. There was no blonde beneath him. Smoky green orbs looked up to see Cloud on his knees facing away from Reno, but his head turned so that blue eyes were boring into his very soul. The blonde's hands reached around and pulled two tight globes as far apart as they would go; revealing Cloud's entrance. "Please, Reno. I need you! I'm sorry about what I did with the General. Forgive me."_ Reno could feel the pre-cum dripping over his hand already, but was too absorbed with his dream to really notice.

"_I forgive you." Reno's words were the truth. He forgave Cloud for the mistakes which he had made. Cloud didn't seem to accept that though._

"_No, Reno. Forgive me with your body. I need you inside of me to wash away everything that I've done; to wash away every other person that I've been with! Please, Reno, fuck me!" Reno didn't waste any time, and was inside of the blonde before he could blink. Cloud cried out from the pain of being entered._ He could feel something curling in the pit of his stomach, and knew that he was close. _The entirety of them having sex was a bit of a blur, but the heat swelling around his cock was there, and Cloud's usually soft voice screaming for more was there._ Reno came into his hand with a sharp gasp. That dream would be a reality soon enough, he just knew it. With a tired sigh, the red-head stood up to prepare for the day. It was only three in the morning, but he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep anyway…

Reno stepped out of the shower a very happy camper, and his good mood only heightened as he saw Genesis leaning against the side of the building. It didn't matter that there was a girl with spots of blood all over her standing beside him, just that he had arrived. That meant that it was time to make Cloud his! He glanced down at his watch. It read 5:00 in the morning. Reno grinned at the man, who seemed to get a bit older every time they met, but the large smile faded as Genesis gave no reaction. Something was obviously wrong.

************

Genesis ignored the red-head and walked toward the space where he had first officially met Reno. Scarlet hadn't waited like he had told her to; no, she had gone off and shot Rufus ShinRa Sr.! No one was aware of it yet, but she had. That only served to work against him as security would be heightened. It would be hard enough to capture Sephiroth without the security, but with it? Fuck. The pretty little bitch would pay for causing such a mess of his carefully plotted scheme. That when it came to him. Perhaps this could work to his advantage… Yes, it was perfect. All he had to do was get the petite blonde away from the General and Sephiroth would come running. Light blue eyes spared a swift glance at Reno, and a smirk crept onto his face. He wouldn't even have to lift a finger to do it.

The degenerating man stopped shortly before reaching the grassy area. A ShinRa employee would most likely find the body in only a few minutes. It was perfect. He did a 180 degree turn to face Reno and Tifa.

"I'm going to give you instructions, and you're going to follow them, alright?" Genesis kept his tone polite, but no longer morphed his words to match it. It didn't really matter, as they both nodded anyways.

************

Zack was awoken by his phone ringing, and he reached over Aeris sleepily to pick it up. "'Ello?" His sleep-slurred words and mind jumped out the window when the voice on the other line began to shout.

"President ShinRa's been shot! Get the General and get down here! Hurry! Dear Gaia, please hurry!" And then the frantic voice was replaced with the phone's dial tone. Zack sat there dumbly for a moment before what she said registered.

"What!?" And not even a heartbeat passed before Zack was out of bed getting dressed and trying to dress himself and call Sephiroth at the same time. He barely noticed the teal eyes watching him curiously. "Seph! ShinRa's been shot! Send Spike down here to watch over Aeris and meet me there!" He hung up without waiting for a response, placing a chaste kiss on Aeris's head and telling her that everything would be fine before rushing out the door.

*************

Sephiroth glared at the electronic communication device in his hand. He had wanted to spend a few more hours alone with Cloud, but no. The damned president just had to go and get shot. He supposed that there was nothing he could do about it now. Green eyes looked up from the phone and over to Cloud, who was drinking his hot chocolate. Calmly, Sephiroth stood, filling Cloud in on the way to the door. Just before his blonde could open said door, Sephiroth pinned him to the wood, attacking that delectable mouth with his own. Everything about Cloud had Sephiroth craving more, and who knew how many hours would pass before he would get to taste the sweet skin again? Slowly, the long, intimate kiss turned into a lot of small, chaste kisses, but Sephiroth didn't mind. "I love you." The General said between kisses.

"I love you, too." Cloud whispered back affectionately. "Now, go. Before people really start to panic." A joking smile was placed on beautifully shaped lips and the General kissed Cloud one last time before releasing the blonde; allowing the door to open and them to go their separate ways.

*************

Cloud jogged all the way to Zack's house and knocked on the door. Aeris answered almost immediately, which presented Cloud with slight relief. She closed the door and locked it behind her as soon as Cloud was safely inside. She smiled happily at him, and Cloud tossed a small smile back at her. Somehow, it was a bit harder to smile genuinely without Sephiroth within his direct vicinity.

"You were right about it being better to find out on my own, you know. Thank you for that." Aeris thanked Cloud with a light laugh. And the relief grew. Cloud just felt lighter knowing that Aeris understood, just like in his last life.

"You're welcome." With those two words, a bond was formed, and Cloud found it a little easier to smile; a little easier to breathe. At that thought, Cloud wondered what Aeris had cooking. It smelled sweet yet bitter, and Cloud knew it from somewhere, but just couldn't place it. Oh, well. In a comfortable silence, the pair walked back towards the guest room; where the books were kept. It was really the only thing that gave away that the room was practically Sephiroth's. It had a book shelf. Well, he had a single spare pair of clothes hanging up in the closet, too, but that was all. A small smile crept onto Cloud's face. That was wrong, too. The guest room was the only room in the house that had only white as the coloring, which went against every one of Zack's morals. At least, that's how Zack had put it.

Cloud blinked, finding it slightly harder to open his eyes than the last time. "Cloud, do you mind if I just go to bed?" The blonde turned to Aeris when she spoke those words, but she was already curled up on the bed asleep. As tempted as he was to do the same, Aeris had something on the stove. Slowly, almost sluggishly, Cloud walked to the kitchen. Nothing was on. Fuck. Alarms were going off in his mind, and Cloud stumbled back towards the guest room, every step feeling like a thousand pounds.

"Aeris! Aeris, don't go to sleep!" Even though Cloud knew that it was a lost cause – that she was off in dreamland by now – he had to try. "Aeris!" But his shouts were quiet even to his own ears as consciousness weaved in and out of his grasp, eventually going far enough away that Cloud couldn't pull it back. When that happened, the blonde crashed to the floor, out cold and still doing nothing but hoping that Aeris would be alright.

*************

Reno looked at the beautiful blonde in his arms over his gas mask. Cloud was his, all his. He barely noticed when the country girl – Tifa – came up beside him carrying the pretty woman who wanted to marry Lieutenant Fair.

"I don't see why you don't just kill him now. The little fucker doesn't deserve to live." Tifa spoke harshly, but Reno just kept his mouth shut and ignored her, just in case his actions would wake Cloud up. She would pay for her snide comments later. But right now, they needed to go to the house that Genesis had told them to go to. They would know where it is because it was three stories high, and a little ways away from the edge of a cliff. Swiftly, they started their journey. Who knew what might happen if they dallied for too long?

**************

Rude stood in front of Scarlet with no emotions on his face. On the inside, he was nervous as could be. After all, Genesis was watching him, judging him. What if he messed up? The Turk didn't think that he could live without Genesis.

"Now, now, Miss ShinRa, shooting the president was not in the plan." Genesis was polite yet threatening, and Rude felt himself getting slightly hard.

"It was part of _my_ plans. This company will be mine, and with it, I'll get Vincent. I don't need you." She sounded confident, deadly, and flirtatious, and Rude was slightly jealous. Well, he was until he remembered that Genesis loved him, not her.

"Nor I you, Miss ShinRa. The only difference being that you don't stand a chance against me." Genesis's smile had a slightly sadistic tint to it, and Rude shivered. It held dark promises for the poor soul that it was aimed at, and that was a turn on for the man who joined the Turks so that he could get the thrill of danger daily. Said shiver didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, and you brought your newest fuck to watch my 'punishment'?" Scarlet laughed cruelly after her words were spoken, and Rude suddenly had the feeling that she knew something that he didn't. He didn't enjoy having such a feeling. Besides, what did she mean by "newest?" They had been together for quite a while now. She seemed to catch his confusion as well, and it seemed that she had forgotten about Genesis. "Oh, you don't know?" Her words suggested surprise, but her tone said differently. Slowly, a sultry smile came onto her face, and she walked gracefully over to Genesis. What was she planning? Without warning, she leaned back against him, and Rude wondered why Genesis wasn't pushing her away; pleaded desperately within his mind for Genesis to push her away. He didn't.

"Genesis and I went for it the first time we met just a few days ago." Scarlet's words hit him like a ton of bricks, and Rude looked to Genesis through his sunglasses for a statement of denial. None came. No, it couldn't be true. It just couldn't. "Don't doubt me, Turk. Your little – well, he's actually pretty big, eight inches at least – friend took me in the hallway and we had the time of our lives." She arched her back away from him and gave a moan. Suddenly, Rude felt a sensation that he hadn't felt in years; tears building behind his eyes. Had Genesis really been using him all this time? His mouth went dry, and it hurt to swallow. Maybe because all of the moisture had travelled to his eyes? Even through tear-blurred vision Rude saw the triumphant look on Scarlet's face.

"Deny it." It was a weak plea on Rude's behalf but he didn't care. "Please, just deny it. Please…" Rude's normally strong, deep voice broke on the last 'please', and he felt a hot tear slip down his face when Genesis didn't comply. Oh, Gaia. Another tear fell, and the Turk couldn't find it within himself to wipe them away. Genesis had given him purpose; someone to love, someone to care for, someone to make him smile after a bad day. It was all that he had ever wanted, and it had all been an act. More tears trickled out, and they felt like fire on Rude's suddenly cold face. "Why?" The simple question was all the bald man could come up with, and even that sounded pathetic. Cold blue eyes stared at Rude for a moment before an answer was given.

"You had served your purpose." And the emotionless words hurt Rude more than any physical wound ever could. So that was all he ever was, ever would be: a possession. The tears came down more steadily, and Rude fell to his knees. He belonged to Genesis, but Genesis didn't want him anymore. So what was there to live for? Rude didn't look up when he felt hot liquid splash on him and heard Scarlet's strangled cry. There was no reaction when he heard deadweight hit the floor; he just sat there. And he would stay in that position until Genesis slipped a hand under his chin and lifted his head. The tears were more erratic as the elder man gently slipped off his sunglasses, just like he had before. Brown met blue, and Rude heard more than felt a small sob escape his lips. Slowly, making sure that Rude wouldn't look away, Genesis removed his hand from the Turk's chin and instead picked up his hand. Cold metal was placed in his palm, and Rude recognized it immediately: a .45 caliber pistol. Genesis smiled softly at the broken man, and Rude couldn't look away.

"You've been wonderful, but like all good things, this must come to an end." The heavenly voice of Genesis caressed Rude's senses, making him cry harder. "Do me one last favor and end it, will you?" A final kiss was placed on the Turk's lips before Genesis rose from his kneeling position and began to walk away. The man in red wanted Rude to kill himself. Oh, Gaia, he didn't want to kill himself; he didn't want to die now, but he didn't want to live without Genesis either. Finally, a strangled sob escaped his lips, and he gripped the gun a bit tighter. He didn't want to die yet. Before Genesis could close the door behind himself, he heard the sound of a gunshot. _A life without love is no life at all._

************

Sephiroth raced down the hall when he heard another gun go off. Yet, no matter how fast he was, he didn't reach the door in time. In front of him lay two slightly maimed bodies; one of Scarlet ShinRa, and one of Rude. The difference between the two bodies was their cause of death. Rude had committed suicide. That stuck out to the General, as the Turk had never seemed like the type to take the easy way out, but the evidence was right in front of him.

"Damn! What happened here!?" Sephiroth didn't bother responding to Zackary's question, but instead looked over to the blonde's body. She had been stabbed through the lungs with a large sword. And if it weren't for that simple fact, the General would have passed it off as a lover's spat. Only one sword left wounds like that.

"Genesis Rhapsodos." Sephiroth whispered the name lightly. He hadn't seen the man for over six years, and he suddenly shows up to kill a woman? That didn't sound like Genesis to the Silver General, but the proof was undeniable.

"Who?" Zack's voice rang loudly throughout the death-stilled room, but Sephiroth pretended that he didn't hear his Second-in-Command. It looked as though they were going to be there for quite a while. There went his plans of going home to Cloud a bit early. They wouldn't be getting out until at least nine with the way things were going…

************

Rufus stared at the desk in front of him blankly. They were dead. Scarlet and his father were both dead. Fuck. Sure, he hated them, but it that didn't mean that he wanted them dead! It wasn't supposed to be like this. Oh, Gaia it wasn't supposed to be like this! He didn't bother looking up as the phone rang. What did it matter if someone wanted to talk to him if his entire family was dead? Or were they even calling for him? This was his father's desk. Perhaps someone hadn't gotten the news yet and wanted to discuss business over dinner. He didn't know if he would be able to handle telling someone else that his father was dead; he just didn't. Reeve kindly picked up the phone for him, and Rufus half-heartedly listened to Reeve's side of the conversation.

"Hello?" Reeve had such a kind voice, especially when talking to strangers. "He's not really in a state to talk right now, may I take a message?" He always used proper grammar, too. Rufus loved that. "Yes, Sir. I understand that you are, indeed, Emperor Kisaragi. That doesn't change the state of Mr. ShinRa's mental health at the moment." And he was polite. Why couldn't everyone be as polite as Reeve? "Alright, I'll be sure to tell him. Thank you for your understanding. Good day." Rufus had come to the conclusion that the world would be a much better place if there were just a whole lot of Reeves and nothing of anyone else.

"Rufus?" He sounded solemn, and Rufus just wanted to curl up next to the man and cry. "That was Emperor Kisaragi. His daughter stole one of their jets and flew over onto ShinRa lands." Reeve hesitated and Rufus knew that it must be bad news. The scientist never hesitated. "There were reports of a Wutainese fighter jet crashing somewhere in the east." And again, Reeve hesitated.

"Just tell me what he said, already…" The statement came out of Rufus's mouth more like plea than an order, but the heir, nay, the new President couldn't find it within himself to care.

"If we don't find her and wed her to a ShinRa male within the next three days, the Emperor's declaring a war." Damn it all to Hell.

************

Emperor Kisaragi didn't like using such threats, but he had no other options. Who knew what those brutes were doing to his baby girl? If only he had noticed her absence sooner! Truly, it wasn't his fault. Yuffie often locked herself in her room and refused to come out or went off practicing her ninja skills and pick-pocketing materia or simply training. Still, the guilt weighed heavily on his soul. Picking up the glass of scotch in front of him, the Emperor thought about all of the mistakes he had made while trying to raise Yuffie and wished not for the first timed that his wife were still alive. He barely noticed the burning alcohol running down his throat.

************

Yuffie listened in amazement as Cid talked about planes. She had always been interested in mechanics, but it wasn't ladylike for a female to do such dirty work. A scoff escaped her mouth. It was perfectly fine to be a ninja though… Apparently, she had scoffed too loudly as Cid stopped going on about the Highwind.

"What're you fuckin' laughin' at, Girly? You got a damned problem with my plane?" The older male looked at her indignantly, clearly not willing to put up with any sort of insult thrown towards his baby. Quickly, the princess shook her head negatively.

"I was just thinking of something funny. And stop calling me, 'Girly!' It's not my name!" This time, it was the young ninja who was indignant.

Cid just pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag before saying, "Wow, _Girly_. Ya even said like I fuckin' care or some shit like that…" And then they were off; Yuffie chasing Cid like there was no tomorrow and Cid wondering how such a little girl could run so quickly. Yuffie loved every moment of it, as she couldn't help but feel alive. Normal people ran and jumped and played. She was normal. Finally, she was normal.

***********

Cid chuckled as Yuffie finally caught up to him. She was quick; he would give her that. "My name is _Yuffie_!" As the last word escaped her mouth, she tackled Cid, and if Cid had been anyone else, he would have fallen. But Cid was not anyone else and stayed upright, twisting a bit to get hold of the young ninja before falling forwards, trapping her beneath him.

"Whatever you say Girlie." Cid's cigarette stayed firmly between his lips as he spoke, and he grinned as he saw her leaning into him just a bit.

"I am not a Girlie! I'm nineteen!" And while the confession of her age was probably supposed to prove something, it only gave Cid's mind a go-ahead because she was officially legal.

"Are fuckin' too. It don't matter what your damned age is. You don't even fucking cuss!" He blew smoke out with each word, but Yuffie didn't seemed to mind. She did, however, become hesitant when it came to cussing.

"It's not ladylike to curse." Her voice was quiet, at Cid snorted.

"You told me that you stole a Gaia-damned Wutai fighter jet to get out of a fucking arranged marriage! What's a couple o' fuckin' words gonna do to you?" That had been what had gotten Cid on her side. It took guts for anyone to do something like that, especially a little girlie like her. It didn't, however, help her win over the towns people. No, the people of Rocket Town hated her and everything about her. How could they think that Yuffie was a threat!? She didn't even cuss! And they were just words. Words that were a Hell of a lot of fun to say.

There was another moment of hesitation before, "Hell." Yuffie's voice was small but delighted and Cid grinned again before rolling off of her.

"That's kid stuff, Girlie. C'mon, say somethin' worth fuckin' sayin'!" Cid's words had some affect as Yuffie failed to hesitate this time.

"Damn." And her smile got wider the more she cussed. "Shit. Damn. Fuck. Hell." And she was practically giggling with glee by the time she was finished. Cid's grin widened still and he spit his cigarette bud out before squishing the remains with his steel-toed boots and leaning over Yuffie.

"Hey, Girlie." Cid's tone was soft.

"What?" Big brown eyes looked up into blue. Fuck what the rest of the town thought about the people of Wutai. He kissed her.

***********

Sometimes people would ask Zack if he ever planned on becoming General. He would always say no. Sure, Sephiroth made it look easy, but Zack could tell that it was way too much work for his likings. It was much simpler to sit back and watch Sephiroth do all of the boring stuff. Like now. Sephiroth was in his, "Deal with coworkers" mode, as Zack had dubbed it within the first two days that they had known one another. Sephiroth would close himself off more than usual, and he would speak tersely, scaring off most. What caught Zack's attention were Sephiroth's shoulders though. They were less tense than usual. And he didn't seem particularly happy, well, less happy than usual, about coming into work. That could only mean one thing.

"You slept with my chocobo, didn't you?!" The Second-in-Command barged into the one-sided conversation between Sephiroth and the regulation army man. He brushed off the way said man stared at the General in horrified curiosity before stuttering out an excuse to leave. He probably thought that Zack was talking about an actual, non-mutated chocobo. Now he couldn't wait to start disproving _that_ rumor. The quick flash of a caring emotion through green orbs tacked a neon orange sign screaming out the word, "Yes," to his question much faster than Sephiroth could answer. Zack drew in an overly dramatic gasp of breath. "You _did_! Oh, you dog, you…" By the time the blue-haired man had finished, over half of the investigators were watching. Sephiroth, not seeming to care, just gave one of his almost shrugs.

"I can't seem to remember you laying claim to him." The General's tone was monotonous, his eyes betraying nothing, and Zack forced a frown onto his face. People were going to gossip. He might as well give them something to gossip about.

"_I_ bought him! They put the deed in _my_ name, remember!?" Though Zack had raised his voice an octave, he got a simple, tedious answer from his favorite, not to mention only, General.

"No." At Sephiroth's uninterested tone, Zack's frown became real. He was hoping for a better reaction than that. Oh, well. It was Sephiroth, and they were in public. There was no way that the General was going to let his mask slip even just a little. Damn. Zack stood there for a moment before becoming bored and speaking to Sephiroth, who was busy going over some paperwork for the murders.

"Well, was it any good?" This was a stupid question on his part, seeing how enamored Sephiroth was with Cloud, but Zack had nothing better to say. He didn't receive an answer until someone had motioned for Sephiroth to look at a certain part of Scarlet's body. When the older male walked past Zack, he leaned down slightly to whisper three simple words that would have the Second-in-Command grinning for another full hour.

"Gaia damned _amazing_."

***********

Vincent looked at the scene of Scarlet's murder with practiced apathy. Tseng had been called down for his input on what would have usually been a cut and dry case, and Vincent had nothing better to do than to tag along. So tag along he did. While he physically reaped no benefits, it was enough to see the General, his _son_, showing off his skills off of the field. Truly, every move he made was complete and utter brilliance. If only he had been around to see the first years of Sephiroth's life. Nothing could ever compare to the sense of loss he felt when seeing his own flesh and blood for the first time twenty-seven years too old. Yet as long as he could continue to see the young man grow old, he could live with it. Because he had a family, Vincent would definitely be able to live with it.

***********

Tseng looked passively at the bloody scene in front of him. Why did they need his, or anyone's for that matter, help to figure out that Rude had committed suicide – while Tseng found that strange, he didn't know the man well enough to judge – and that the only female ShinRa had been stabbed through the lung with a sword? Now he was going to end up stuck there until nine like Sephiroth. How annoying… At least he had Vincent with him. As if catching on to Tseng's thoughts, Zack got out his phone with a grin.

"Zackary, what are you--" Sephiroth's inquisition was cut short by Zack's hand being shoved in front of the General's face. Emerald orbs narrowed.

"I'm calling Aeris, Seph." At Zack's words, Sephiroth, most probably realizing that his S-i-C didn't plan on lowering his hand, took a step back. The glare didn't soften a molecule. While the black-tinted-blue haired man looked as if he were about to retort to Sephiroth's non-existent words, his attention was instead turned to the phone. After only a few seconds, Zack hung up.

"That's strange. She didn't answer." And violet eyes looked perplexed at the new development. Tseng decided to throw in his opinion on the matter.

"Perhaps the Cetra's sleeping." What the Turk Leader thought to be a good solution was immediately d=rejected by Sephiroth.

"If She were asleep then Cloud would have answered the phone. We all know that _he's_ not asleep." Though the words were said coldly, Tseng took no offence. That _did_ make for a fairly worrying situation. They had no chance to worry about this as a man in a white coat came over, holding two plastic baggies up, with a single, used bullet in each.

"Sirs, we have a bit of a problem." To the scientist's credit, his voice didn't waver, but fear was practically rolling off of him in waves.

"Well, duh! We've got a _triple_," Zack held up three fingers, as if to prove a point, "murder on our hands here!"

"No, it's a bit more complex than that. This bullet," the man held up the bag in his right hand, "is from Mr. Rude's body. While this bullet," he held up the other bag, "came from President ShinRa. They came from the same gun." When those words were said, Tseng looked at the seriousness of it all. If Rude killed himself with the same gun that shot President ShinRa, but died in the same room after Scarlet, who was not killed by a gun, then the theory of it being two completely separate murders was out. Also, that didn't explain who killed Scarlet. Her wound was from a sword, not a gun. Forget nine, they wouldn't be out until midnight, if they were lucky. At that thought, he looked over at his lover, who was calmly inspecting the body of Scarlet ShinRa. At least he had Vincent.

***********

Hojo fell to the floor, mentally opening up the door which had disconnected him from Mother Gaia for so long. Her voice rushed at him, angry and happy at once. She screamed at him for his stupidity and caressed him with a delicate, caring sense of sadness from having been without him for so long. The sensation both hurt and healed him. Already, he could feel his body becoming healthier, but it hurt. Just before passing out, he smiled. Finally, Mother Gaia and he were one again, just like they were supposed to be.

***********

Aeris awoke with a pounding headache, and immediately tried to move to rub some of the pain away. She couldn't. Her wrists had manacles on them, and chains which attached the manacles to a brick wall. Even now, she could feel the cold steel cutting into her flesh. Gaia's voice was roaring in her mind, angry about the treatment of her Cetra, of her ULTIMATE, and of something else. Oh, her head hurt. Where was she?

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake up…" A female voice said, but it seemed to come from nowhere. Aeris couldn't help but think that it sounded faintly familiar. She just couldn't place the voice though, not with her mind in such a hazy state. It appeared she didn't need to, however, as a young brunette walked into her line of vision. Tifa Lockheart.

"Wh-why are you…" Aeris trailed off, unable to say anything more. Why was she so thirsty?

"What's wrong? Oh, I bet you're parched, aren't you? The drug we filtered into Zacky's home does that. Here, let me get you some water." Tifa's voice was sickly sweet, and it only served to make Aeris's headache worse. Still, water would be greatly appreciated. Not even a minute passed before the young country-girl returned with a full glass of water. Aeris shivered a bit, half from the anticipation of getting something to ease the painful itching in her throat and half from the cold. What was it? Forty Degrees? The cup came close to her mouth, and Aeris parted her lips to receive the drink, but just as the cold glass touched her lips, Tifa took it away, instead opting to pour it on her head. Aeris gasped as the icy liquid spilled over her.

"You actually thought that I was going to give you something to drink? Pathetic." The last word was sneered, making Aeris cringe slightly. Still, she needed the water. Her head and throat hurt so much. Just a sip of water, or any liquid really, would help, she was sure.

"Please," Aeris ignored how raspy her voice sounded, "just a little--" Her words stopped abruptly as Tifa delivered a harsh kick to her stomach.

"Quit your sweet little girl act already. We both know that you purposely stole Zack away from me, and you're _not_ going to get away with it. Now, I'm going to leave you alone to think about what you've done for a bit, okay?" Even as Tifa was speaking, her voice faded away, and soon enough Aeris was engulfed in darkness. Her frail body shivered from the cold, and she felt the urge to cry. So cry she did. She cried until there were no tears left to fall, wishing all the while for Zack or Cloud to come and save her. Hours past. Neither came. Oh, _Gaia_…

**********

Cloud stared at Reno. Reno stared back.

"Reno, why am I chained to a bed?" It was a simple question that, in Cloud's opinion, he shouldn't have needed to ask. The red-head smiled.

"I can't let you go until I know you won't run, but don't worry. I know everything." Reno seemed extremely happy about this, and Cloud, ignoring just how dry his throat felt, questioned him.

"What do you mean by everything?" Blue eyes kept steady on green, and Cloud noticed that he had a pounding headache for the first time.

"I know about your abusive family. I know about you loving me. I know about Sephiroth manipulating you into sleeping with him. I know about all the people you've been with, and all the mistakes you've made. I know that your fight with Hart was staged. It's alright, though. I forgive you!" Reno sounded excited, and Cloud noticed a slightly crazed tint to the smoky green eyes. Wait, did crazy even have a color? Cloud was pretty sure that it didn't, which meant that it couldn't have a tint either. Didn't that make his last thought implausible? Noticing that his thought were beginning to drift, Cloud shook his head a bit, breaking eye contact. This, however, sent him into a coughing fit. He barely noticed Reno rushing away to get him a glass of water.

A fairly strong hand stopped his head from moving while another tipped a glass of cold water down his throat. Considering his lying position and how dry his throat was, it did nothing but choke him. Reno, thank Gaia, caught onto this and took the liquid away.

"There. Isn't that better?" And then Reno waited eagerly for a positive response, but no, not really, it wasn't. "I thought so. And guess what I got you to lighten the mood! I'll give you a hint: My favorite hair color is strawberry blonde." Blue eyes widened just a fraction at Reno's announcement. Of all the things he could have gotten… "That's right! Strawberries!"

The red-head reached down beside the bed from his position atop Cloud – though Cloud couldn't remember when he got there – to get the red fruit. He came up victoriously, grinning down at the blonde beneath him.

"Reno, no. I can't have--" But Cloud's explanation was cut short by a suddenly angry Reno.

"_What_!? Did you and _Sephiroth _have a romantic day with strawberries or something? It's _me_ you love, remember? Not him. _Not him_!" Reno's crazed look brightened, taking over most of his eyes, before the red-head grinned. "Here, let me put a stop to those bad memories." Reno's grin became impossibly wider, and he bit off half of a strawberry. Cloud knew what was coming long before it came.

"No! Reno, listen to me, please." Before Cloud could say another word of explanation, Reno's lips were on his own. Immediately, Cloud tried to close his lips, but he was too late. An invading tongue, along with half of a strawberry, were already in his mouth. Cloud tried not to swallow, he did, but it didn't work as his body begged for air, taking down everything in its way of that goal. A minute later, Reno pulled away.

"See, now was that so bad?" But Cloud couldn't answer Reno. Physically, his body was too busy gasping and panting for air, mentally, Cloud was in a panic over the fact that he might as well have just swallowed a bottle of poison. He just couldn't catch a break, could he?

***********

Reno looked at the flushed blonde beneath him with unsuppressed joy. He tasted better than the almost-Turk ever could have imagined. How could Tifa have ever come from the same woman? It didn't matter, he supposed. Cloud was his either way, and Cloud would remain his. Forever. Yes! Forever and ever and ever, Cloud would be his. All his. A slightly less-than-sane giggle crawled up his throat, and Reno grinned wider. Finally, he had Cloud all to himself. Reno lay his head down to listen to Cloud's heartbeat. He would fall asleep to that sound less than an hour later. It was such a nice sound, after all.

***********

Genesis stood by Angeal's bed with a warm smile on his face. "Just you wait, my Angel, we'll be together soon." He gently pushed a stray hair behind Angeal's ear. "I promise…"


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_**Author's Note: **__Hi! I lied. I'm still not sure whether I want to do a Naruto or Harry Potter. Sorry. Also, there will be only one more chapters before the epilogue, which is really nothing more than every couple that's still together in the end screwing. I'll put the parings in bold letters above each scene so that you can just skip to them. It's just for the smut fans that didn't get a sex scene between their favorite characters(Zack and Aeris) or simply want another one(Cloud and Sephiroth). Okie dokes? _

_**Disclaimer:**__ If only, if only…_

_**Warning:**__ Violence. Slash. Non-Slash. Language._

Sephiroth stared straight forward sightlessly. Cloud was gone. Cloud was gone because the General didn't ignore the stupid phone call and stay home with his beloved blonde. But where had he gone? There were no signs of struggle, but he didn't need that. There was a light smell of a sleeping toxin in the air. Cloud had definitely been taken, and it was tearing Sephiroth up on the inside. It didn't matter to him that the Cetra had been taken as well, and though Zackary was his best friend, he couldn't bring himself to care about how heart-broken the blue-ish haired man was either. All that mattered was the guilt eating him up on the inside. All of the worry, the sadness, the frustration, it was turning on him. He simply couldn't block all of the emotions this time. Not this time. He felt everything welling up inside of him, burning like a fire through his veins.

"Seph, Seph, can you hear me? We have to think logically about this! Listen, we just have to…" Zack trailed off when Sephiroth finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"Logically? Cloud's gone, Zackary! _Gone_!" Sephiroth couldn't find it within himself to think _logically_, he just couldn't.

"I know, Seph. Aeris is too, but we have to-" Zackary just didn't seem to get it.

"We have to _what_?! He could be anywhere by now! He could be _dead_!" Sephiroth's mind was spinning with the worst possibilities he could imagine. Why couldn't he just get a hold of himself already!?

"Seph, we'll check the city. We'll check the state. We'll check the entire Gaia-damned world if we have to, alright? So, calm down, and come with-" Zack stopped abruptly at Sephiroth's next words.

***********

"Zack." Sephiroth sounded tired, no, exhausted, but that wasn't what had the Lieutenant staring. Sephiroth had called him Zack. The General had never called him Zack before. It was always, "Zackary," or, "Lieutenant Fair," never just Zack. As much as he liked the shortened version of his name, it just didn't sound right falling from the esteemed General's lips. "I just don't want to lose him…" With Sephiroth's words sounding like a small child's, Zack's eyes couldn't help but soften. Sure, he was worried for Aeris beyond belief, but he had never seen Sephiroth quite so…

"I know you don't." At Zack's words, it was time to move out, to get the search started and get their lovers back at home, where they belonged. If only they had looked a little closer; seen the vibrant red hair lying on the floor at their feet…

************

Rufus read over the paper that he was currently sending out to, well, everywhere. It read:

**Missing!**

**Yuffie Kisaragi, Princess Of The Wutai Kingdom, Disappeared Last Tuesday. If She Is Not Found By This Friday, War Will Be Declared.**

**Please, Anyone Who Has Seen This Girl Report To The ShinRa Headquarters In Midgar Immediately.**

**Thank you.**

**Sincerely yours,**

**Rufus ShinRa Jr.**

And then there was a picture of the young woman at the bottom of the page. He didn't know if it was a good idea to tell the public about the possible war, but Reeve did, so he would go along with it. After all, Reeve was good with this sort of stuff; Rufus wasn't. As blue eyes watched the flyers being sent out, he couldn't help but be thankful that Reeve was with him. Without the genius, the heir just didn't know what he would do…

*************

Reeve frowned as he looked at Rufus's tense back, eyes saddening at the fact that he could do nothing to comfort his lover. Slowly, the scientist walked over to a spot just behind Rufus, quietly wrapping his arm around the smaller male's waist and pulling him close.

"Don't look so fretful. We'll find her." And if they didn't then Reeve was sure that Sephiroth would lead them through the war. Though he wasn't close to the General, he knew that the man could pull them through any conflict with ease. Well, he could if he wanted to. From observation's standpoint, General Sephiroth seemed to be a man who did things only if they were in his interest. Gaia, Reeve hoped protecting ShinRa grounds was in his interests. If not, he was sure that it was in Lieutenant Fair's. The important thing was that it would all work out in the end. It had to.

"And if we do? I'll have to marry her, Reeve! I don't want to marry anyone but _you_!" Rufus was near tears, and Reeve held him tighter.

"I know, Kitten," Reeve buried his nose into blonde locks before continuing in a mere whisper, "I know…"

*************

Cloud looked around the nearly empty room; mind racing like a chocobo with a panther on its tail. If he could just figure out a way to get off of the bed, he'd be fine. The chains were strong, incredibly so, and it would be damn near impossible to break them. At that thought, a brilliant idea popped into Cloud's head. The chains were built to keep from breaking, but the bed posts weren't. Quickly, both because he could already feel the effects of the strawberry kicking in and because he wasn't sure when Reno would return, Cloud pulled as hard as he could on the chains. Just as quickly, the chains began cutting into his wrists. But Cloud kept going; ignoring the hot blood dripping down his wrists. He had to escape. If not for himself, then for Sephiroth.

It took mere minutes for the first bed post to break, soon to be followed by the second one. Still, no matter how fast he had broken them, the damage to his wrist was done. They bled quite a bit, and would continue to do so until the mako in his system caught up with the wound. Yet, that should have begun to happen already and it hadn't. Why? A moment later, after Cloud had fully freed himself from the cuffs, he realized what a stupid question that was. There was nearly no mako in his veins anymore. He had only taken a little from Sephiroth, which was quickly transferred to Mother Gaia. While swiftly making his way to the door, the blonde cursed under his breath. This wasn't good.

Yet, it only seemed to get worse as he heard a scream directly after opening the door. It was a familiar scream that sent chills up his spine. The shrill noise had come from Aeris. As much as he would like to simply leave, fix himself, find Sephiroth and Zack, and come back to get her; he couldn't. Once before, he had left her to get help, a cure, and she had died. Never again would he leave her in a time of distress. So he changed directions instead, down the steps to where the screams were coming from. After opening the door to what appeared to be a basement, Cloud spotted two things which he would never want to see again: Aeris bloody and screaming her lungs out, and Tifa with a gun. As swiftly as his worn-out body would let him go, Cloud grabbed a pipe on the sidelines and swung it at Tifa's liver. He didn't miss. Almost immediately, she went down. Cloud was at Aeris before Tifa could hit the ground and began to unhook her, but she stopped him by choking out a single word.

"_Water_." Her whispered word allowed blood to drip from her mouth. Nearly hesitantly, he stopped freeing her and rushed to get some water. Less than a minute later, he was back; trying to get the cold liquid down her swollen throat. It took longer than he would have liked, but Cloud knew that he couldn't rush this kind of thing. Eventually, the water was gone, and Cloud continued releasing her from her binds. When one hand was loose, she leaned towards him, crying into his shoulder. He whispered sweet assurances; ignoring the pain burning in his wrists and how weak his body felt. After her arms were finally freed, Cloud pushed extra strength into his muscles and picked her up.

It took only a few wrong turns to reach the door of the house, and Cloud struggled to get it open. It appeared he didn't need to, however, as the door opened for him; revealing an auburn haired man in a long red coat that Cloud would recognize anywhere. It was Genesis.

"Fuck," was all Cloud could think to say. On a normal day, the blonde could take on Genesis, but not now. A sultry smirk made its way to the taller man's face before Genesis decided to speak.

"Fuck, indeed…" Genesis's eyes were lusty as he ran them up and down Cloud's body and said those words. Cloud couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. This wouldn't turn out well… In a split second Genesis had knocked Aeris out of the blonde's hands and pulled Cloud flush against him. He barely heard Aeris's small cry of pain. In an instant, with Sephiroth flashing through his mind, Cloud had punched Genesis across the face. Though in his current state he had less than half the power than he usually did, Cloud still had enough strength in the movement to make the auburn haired man stumble back. If only it had been enough to make him let go… A sadistic grin made its way to Genesis's face, and the grip on Cloud's arms tightened.

"I can see why Sephiroth likes you so much. You're simply _delicious_…" Cloud had no time to react to Genesis's words as he crashed his lips onto the blonde's. A wet muscle slid roughly against Cloud's lips, but he closed them tight; choosing to concentrate on keeping his mouth closed rather than where Genesis was forcing him to stumble. Yet, when his lower back was slammed into a doorknob, he couldn't help but gasp. The pain just seemed so much more intense with his body weakened.

The tongue entered his mouth as soon as the opportunity presented itself, and Cloud felt like he was choking. It was nothing like Sephiroth's domineering but loving kisses. No, it was suffocating and overbearing; making Cloud feel dirty. All the while, Sephiroth was running through his thoughts. Did this count as cheating? The mere thought of such a thing was making Cloud physically sick. He didn't want to cheat on Sephiroth. Swiftly, he bit down on the invading muscle; choking in a gasp when Genesis reeled back. Electric blue eyes snapped open and focused not on Cloud, but on something behind him. Roughly, the young blonde was shoved to the ground.

"It's not what it looks like, Angeal. I swear!" Genesis's deep voice was slightly frantic as he tried to explain things to…Angeal? Cloud turned around from his spot in the floor to see a near-dead looking Angeal lying on a pristine white bed. His dark grey, almost black eyes stared lifelessly at Genesis. "Please, Angeal, listen to me. It's all his fault! I was coming back here to see you, and he seduced me, and… And this is _your_ fault!" Genesis swung around to face Cloud with angry eyes, but Cloud wouldn't look at him. Angeal was such a good man. Cloud wished so much that he could help Angeal…

"Hello." Cloud's voice was a whisper, but the charcoal eyes twitched in his direction. No matter if they had met in this lifetime or not; Angeal knew him. The blonde was snapped out of his reverie as Genesis's fist slammed into his head, hastily followed by a kick to the ribs.

"Don't you dare talk to my Angeal!" Cloud was lifted up by the scruff of his shirt and punched in the abdomen with what Cloud was sure was as much force as Genesis could muster after the auburn-haired man's words. As the beating continued, Cloud stared into Angeal's eyes, positive that his blue eyes mirrored the grey. Cloud was breaking on the inside, he knew. Finally, things had gone correctly, and now they were falling apart. Was he really worth all of the trouble? Did Cloud deserve to get saved by Sephiroth? He wasn't sure anymore. And the light in Cloud's eyes got dimmer and dimmer, his spirit dying little by little. The only hope left in him was that Aeris had escaped when she got the chance. After all, Aeris really _did_ deserve to be happy…

************

Angeal stared unseeingly at Cloud. There was someone else in the room besides Genesis, but he couldn't place who. They sounded so sad, too. More than anything, Angeal wanted to say hello back; to tell the melancholy voice that all would be well in the end, but he couldn't. So, instead, he stared unseeingly at where the voice was and waited for the time when he would be able to see and move again. All he could do was wait, so wait he would. He just hoped that the new person would be alright until he could do such a thing…

************

Genesis hit the small blonde with as much force as he could muster. He was ruining everything! If the fool hadn't seduced him then Angeal wouldn't have seen and he could be happily reading beside his soon-to-be-awake lover. He heard more than felt a bone crack beneath his steel boots, and a sinister smile slipped onto his face. He knew something that would make everyone happy. Abruptly, Cloud stopped the fist that had intended on hitting Cloud in the face and picked him up instead. All he needed was a camera…

Genesis shoved Cloud into the basement, where he found Tifa on the floor, groaning in a pained manner. He ignored her completely and shoved Cloud against the wall where Aeris had previously been; taking pleasure when he heard the blonde's skull hit the wall behind him with a resounding _crack_. The younger male was chained to the wall in seconds and Genesis instantaneously went to set up the camera. Once the red light came on, signaling that it had begun recording, the red-coated man stood in front of the small device.

"Hello, General. Long time, no see, right? Look, as much as I'd love to chat with you, I have important business to attend. All I want to say is that you've lost something. I have that something." Genesis moved out of the way slightly to allow the camera to get a clear picture of the beaten, bloody blonde. "Red's his color, don't you think? I certainly do. In fact, I think that he could use a bit more of the color. Without warning, the taller male walked over to Cloud, unsheathed a knife, and thrust it into his stomach. Cloud did nothing but cough up some blood.

"Yes, that's much better, don't you think? Listen, Sephiroth, we're at the place where you, Angeal, and I first met, okay? And don't worry. I'll make sure that Cloud will be entertained you arrive. Hurry, now, General. Who's to say just how much fun a little blonde like this can have before breaking? _I_ certainly can't…" As if to emphasize his point, Genesis turned the blade in Cloud's stomach, but, this time, two words came out with the blood.

"_Save Aeris_." Genesis frowned at the blonde's words before cutting off the camera, wrapping it, and putting it in the mail. Now all he had to do was wait. After some more non-sexual fun with the blonde, he would throw Cloud back into Reno's room, where he would lie in his own blood until the red-head would decide to come back…

************

Cid stared at the poster in front of him. Yuffie, his sweet little Yuffie wasn't just any Wutai woman; she was the princess of the entire Wutainese population! He needed an explanation, and he needed it now. As he rounded the corner to Yuffie and his favorite spot just a mile or two outside of town. Almost immediately, he spotted her, lying on the ground staring up at the clouds with a serene smile on her face. It made the pilot falter for a moment, but he quickly hardened his resolve.

"What the _fuck_ is _this_?!" He shouted, shoving the paper into her face.

"The Hell are you going on about, Cid!? I don't know what--" Yuffie abruptly cut herself off as she got a good look at the paper. "Oh, _Gaia_…" Shocked brown eyes looked up at Cid. "Listen, Cid, it's not…"

"It's not what? It's not what it fuckin' looks like? Like Hell it isn't! You're the princess of Wutai! What else that you said has been a Gaia-damned lie!? Huh? Better fuckin' yet, what's been the _truth_!?" By the end of Cid's speech, Yuffie looked near tears, but that quickly changed to anger.

"I never lied to you! I never said that I wasn't the princess! And everything else that I told you was the truth! My father signed my life away to another man in an arranged marriage, and to that ShinRa prick, nonetheless! I hate him! Do you hear me, Cid!? I hate him! He'd do nothing but try to control my every move, and send me right back to where I came from! You- you don't understand, Cid…" She sounded distressed, and he suddenly felt bad. She was completely wrong on him not being able to relate.

"I think I can." He said quietly; sitting down next to her at wrapping his arms lightly around her.

"No! It says that if I'm not found by Friday, war will be declared. What they mean is that if I'm not married by a ShinRa male by Friday, war will be declared. At first, I just didn't want to get married, but now… Cid," watery brown eyes looked up into caring blue, "_I think I might love you."_

Cid's head spun when she said that. He knew that he had wrongly judged her when he had found out, but anger had taken over. In truth, they weren't that different, not at all… In a split second, Cid had come to a decision. Swiftly, he lifted up the young princess and started moving back towards town.

"Wh-where are we going?" She questioned shakily. Cid responded with a grin.

"We're going to pick out your ring, Girlie. Prepare to get hitched."

************

Yuffie stared at Cid for a moment before she began to struggle in his arms.

"Cid, no! You don't understand! I had my fun, but if I don't marry a ShinRa, then innocent people will die, and I just don't know if I can live knowing that--" Yuffie was cut off when Cid placed his lips over hers.

"That's why you're marryin' me, Girlie." He sounded confident, and stopped cursing, which only served to confuse her more.

"Are you trying to say that you're…?" She trailed off uncertainly; afraid to get her hopes too high.

"That's right, Girly. The name's Cid ShinRa." He sounded like he wanted to say something else, but Yuffie wouldn't let him.

"But-! That can't e right! President ShinRa only had one son--" Cid cut her off.

"That he wasn't fuckin' embarrassed to talk about. I never bent down to his damned demands and he hated it. One day, he told me to shape the Hell up or get the Hell out. I turned on my fuckin' heel and walked out the door." Cid stopped talking and Yuffie stared at him. If he was really a ShinRa then that meant they could…

"Wait a second, doesn't that mean you named yourself after your plane?" She was joking, of course, too ecstatic to really care, but he took it seriously.

"Hell no! I just thought that Highwind was an awesome as fuck name for a plane, so I named myself Highwind so that I could name a plane after myself. Who the Hell would name themselves after a plane!?" Cid finished speaking with a flourish. Yuffie kindly ignored the fact that he had, in a roundabout way, done just that and giggled. He set her down sweetly just outside of town, and they went to go pick out a ring. Tonight, they would get married, and tomorrow, they would begin the long flight to Midgar to stop a war. For now, all was well. At least, on their end of the spectrum it was…

***********

Reno looked at Cloud who was lying against the wall of the bedroom, his clothes stained red. He had obviously tried to escape while Reno had been at ShinRa, doing his duty as a cadet, but Cloud was still here. He hadn't escaped when given the chance, clearly having realized that he loved Reno, and decided to stay! It was wonderful knowing that Cloud was getting better already.

"Hey, Blondie, what're ya doin' all the way over there, yo?" The red-head questioned with a smile. It would be so much more comfortable on the bed, in Reno's arms. Blue eyes blinked at him, but that was it. Somehow, they looked less bright then the last time that he had seen them. "Come over here, Silly. We'll have fun, yo, I promise!" Still, Cloud didn't move. Faintly, Reno wondered why, but then he figured it out. The blonde was still playing the shy, innocent, virgin. Well, if that's how Cloud wanted their first time to be remembered, then who was Reno to stand in his way?

***********

Cloud looked at Reno apathetically as the taller male picked him up and carried him over to the bed. What did it matter anymore? Sephiroth was present in the forefront of his mind, but Cloud ignored that. It wasn't like Sephiroth would waste the time to come and get him… Suddenly, as he bounced limply onto the bed, a voice replayed in his head. It was Zack's voice, something that the Lieutenant had told him ages ago.

"_Cheer up, Spike! I've got your back!"_

The memory was distant and blurry, but it triggered others.

"_Quit bein' such a whiny bitch and fly the plane, Strife! Shit, it's not like I'm gonna let anythin' fuckin' happen to you…" _

Cid…

"_It's no problem, Cloudie. After all, that's what friends are for, right?"_

Yuffie…

"_Shh, Cloud, it's okay. It's all okay. I'm here for you, remember?"_

Tseng…

"_All hope is never lost."_

Vincent… The last words were what really got to Cloud. The hybrid was right. As long as he was alive he had hope; no matter the amount.

"C'mon, Blondie. Tell me who ya love, yo." Reno cooed at Cloud, nipping at the blonde' earlobe. It felt nowhere near as good as when Sephiroth did it…

"Sephiroth." Immediately after Cloud spoke, Reno was up from his position over the blonde; his hand ready to make contact with tanned skin.

"No! You're over him, Blondie! Don't you remember!? You love me, yo. _Me_!" Clear blue eyes looked at the seemingly bipolar red-head. He just had to keep Reno talking. "Now stop fuckin' things up and get it right, yo!" The words hurt, as they were a near quote from his mother, but he held himself together. He had to. Blue eyes squeezed shut to stop the tears that had always refused to come before from surfacing. He just _had _to…

************

Aeris awoke to Tifa glaring at her from across the room. Cloud had come and got her from this place, but then what? She couldn't remember, but did it really matter? She was still chained to a wall in the end. Ignoring the voice in her head, Aeris stared at the other brunette, wishing that this was nothing but a dream and that she would awaken in Zack's arms at any minute. She didn't. Instead, she stared at Tifa, waiting for her to make a move. Surprisingly enough, she didn't either.

"You don't deserve Zack, but you know that, don't you? I bet you do. You know what else? I'm glad that monster stopped me from killing you. You need to suffer for awhile longer." Tifa sounded like a true sadist, and Aeris didn't want to find out what the country girl had in store for her. It was too bad that she didn't really have a choice.

************

Night fell in Midgar, encasing the town in what felt like a never-ending sea of darkness. Zack was tired as Hell, but he didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to sleep without Aeris. Sephiroth was having the same dilemma, and, eventually, they decided that they had to stop. Well, Sephiroth decided that they had to stop. No matter how much he wanted Cloud to be safe, Zack was the only man left standing in his army so far, and Zack was the SOLDIER which he had to look out for at the moment. At least, Zack was pretty sure that Sephiroth's thoughts ran along those lines… Either way, the trek back to Sephiroth's house was a long one.

"Hey, Seph, do you… do you think we'll find them?" Violet eyes looked up into green as Zack asked this. Sephiroth didn't even bother to stop unlocking his door when he answered.

"Of course we will, Zackary. Now go get some rest, alright?" Sephiroth still managed to give himself a bored undertone in such a situation and it made Zack smile lightly.

"Okay, Seph. I'll be in my room, okay?" Zack's question was rhetorical, and he received no response from the ever stoic General. Quietly, the Lieutenant walked back to his bedroom; his smile cracking at the first thing he saw. The buster sword which he had drawn on the wall above his bed just after Sephiroth had dubbed the room his had been outlined, shaded, and anything else that Zack could think of but never do. It looked like a two-dimensional replica of his sword, and hardened the blue-ish haired man's resolve to find his friend and lover even further. They didn't deserve such a fate, especially not Cloud. The poor blonde had been through so much already. As soon as he got them back, he and Aeris would get married. Just as soon as they were found… Slowly, Zack crawled into his large, empty bed and tried to sleep. Things would be alright in the end or he wasn't Lieutenant General First Class SOLDIER Zackary Fair.

************

Sephiroth stared out the window. He wouldn't be able to sleep until Cloud was safe. Zackary, however, needed the rest. Unfortunately, that pinned the General down, too. What if the Lieutenant woke up in the middle of the night and no one was there? Zackary would drive himself insane trying to figure out what had happened, that's what. Still, sitting on his windowsill, waiting for the sun to raise once more, Sephiroth couldn't help but feel useless. He wanted Cloud by his side, in his arms, or simply to know that the blonde was safe. He didn't like it when someone else had the upper hand. He didn't like it at all. To Sephiroth, it was all just one big game of chess, and the other player had stolen his queen. Soon, he would get Cloud back, but not soon enough as horrifying scenarios filled his head. All he wanted was for Cloud to be safe…

Out of nowhere, an annoying tune rose into the air. Silently tracing the irritating noise to Zackary's phone, which he had dropped onto the couch, Sephiroth stood. Fortunately, the phone continued to ring until the General reached it. He picked up the noisy device delicately before flipping it open and saying a single, clipped word.

"Speak." His order made it painfully obvious that the correct militia man had not been reached, just as it should have.

"Uh… Um… Well… Hi?" It was only through Sephiroth's incredible memory that the General managed to put the name to a face.

"Yes, Linkhouse?" Sephiroth meant it as a question, but it came out as a statement.

"Um, Sir, isn't this Zack's number?" The First sounded incredibly confused.

"It is." No other explanation was given, and the First, apparently, didn't expect anything else as he simply continued on.

"Okay, I was just checking, Sir. So, neither you nor Zack came in today, and panic almost broke out. I was just wondering when you'd be back… Um, Sir." He didn't sound nervous, but he certainly wasn't calm. Sephiroth was hardly impressed.

"Our date of return is unclear as of yet." Sephiroth's tone, though it held no emotion, clearly suggested that the First needed to hurry and get to the point. The younger male scrambled to reply.

"Uh, well, you see, I just- we just- we don't know what to- Who's in charge? Uh, Sir." Linkhouse's question finally came out, and Sephiroth thought only a moment before replying.

"Zackary trusts you, correct?" Sephiroth saw no need to use Zack's title as the First had referred to the Lieutenant by his name.

"I like to think so, Sir." Adrian sounded happy about this fact, and since he had reported the SOLDIERs picking on Cloud, Sephiroth saw no problem with him.

"Then you're in charge." With those toneless words, Sephiroth hung up, quickly going back to staring out the window, wishing the night would hurry up and end.

***********

Adrian stared at his phone with wide, orange eyes. He did the first thing that popped into his head.

"_Jackary!" _Adrian yelled in full panic mode. The man lying beside of him looked up sleepily.

"…Eh?" The elder male slurred out.

"I'm in charge." He said, shock still not wearing off.

"You're what? Go back to sleep, Adrian. You were dreaming…" Jack was already drifting off to sleep by the end of his sentence, but Adrian wasn't ready to accept that and hit Jack across the back of the head. While he did stop momentarily to admire the softness of his lover's shaggy, jet black hair, he was mostly occupied by how easily Jack brushed him off.

"No! I'm _serious_, Jack! General Sephiroth," Adrian paused when he saw Jack lift his head up and cock a disbelieving brow, "yes _that_ General Sephiroth, told me that he didn't know when he and Zack would be back and put me in charge!" Midnight blue eyes blinked before rolling.

"_Right_. We all know that the only one that has the General's number is Zack, and I'm positive that he didn't give it to _you_." Jack had a slightly condescending tone about him, but that was to be expected. Jack wasn't exactly the nicest person to…well, anyone. Adrian loved him anyways though. Just not right now.

"Fine then, don't believe me." Adrian's words were supposed to get Jackary's attention, but all it earned him was a sleepy hum. "I'll just have to go talk to someone _else_ about--" Adrian was interrupted almost immediately by a feral growl before being pinned to the bed. Ah, that was exactly what he had been counting on. Sometimes, Jack's jealousy streak made him just a bit too predictable.

"_No_." The simple word had Adrian smiling.

"Are you ready to listen to me yet?" Adrian questioned brightly. Jack seemed to mull it over in his mind for a moment before shrugging.

"I suppose so." The blue-eyed male agreed. Adrian's smile brightened.

"Okay, well I called Zack's phone to see if-nngh." The orange-eyed First Class cut himself off with a moan and a sharp gasp as Jack began nipping at a certain spot on his neck.

"I said," Jack paused to lick his newly made mark before continuing, "that I was listening." And then the sensations were back, driving Adrian into a haze of pleasure. He could do nothing but moan once more, making Jack grin against his skin. He couldn't talk with Jack doing- doing- whatever it was that he was doing, and Jack knew it. Once again, a smooth voice told Adrian that he could continue, but he didn't even try. What was the point? They both knew where this was going, and, in Adrian's mind, they couldn't get there soon enough.

************

Hojo finally awoke with his head spinning, still trying to readjust to Gaia's ever-present voice. So far, she was telling him nothing of where his daughter might be, and that worried him. Was she still angry? Why wouldn't she reveal Aeris's location already!? He could feel his anger rising as he looked in the mirror. His skin was a perfectly creamy white, accenting his dark hair, which flowed healthily to his shoulders in thick waves. Not only that, but his chocolate brown eyes were shining brightly with the emotions that had been pent up in his head for who knows how long. All in all, he was stunning, and he hated it. What did looks matter if his daughter was in trouble? They didn't. He flung the desk he was leaning against at the wall in a bout of anger before his senses came to him. His daughter was in danger, but his son wasn't, and no matter how mad Gaia was at him, she had absolutely nothing against Reeve. Mother Gaia would never deny a Cetra in need when she wasn't angry at them. As crazy as she seemed to others if they got the pleasantry of hearing her voice, she was coherent in the ears of a Cetra. She knew what they wanted, and an experienced Cetra knew what she wanted right back.

Striding up the stairs, so many stairs, to get to the top floor, Hojo knocked on the door to what the blueprints said to be the Head of the Science Department's office. There was no response. Swiftly, he took out a Master's Key and unlocked the messy room. It was empty. Papers and coffee cups were strewn about haphazardly along with other random office materials. Even in such a situation, the sight made him smile a little. His office had looked exactly the same before his separation from Mother Gaia. The professor didn't have time to dwell on this, however, as his current dilemma came rushing back at him.

Professor Hojo stopped for a moment, trying to figure out where else he would be at that time of night before it clicked. Reeve was dating Rufus. Immediately, he rushed towards the young President's suite, eager to see his son, to save his daughter. His knocks were sharp but erratic in their consistency. At first, there was no answer, making him take out the key once more, but before the metal could reach the lock, the door swung open. In the opening stood Reeve wearing nothing but a pair of blue silk boxers and a bored expression. Hojo stared.

"_Yes_?" Apparently, Reeve had inherited a lot of things from Hojo, like his only-sometimes lack of patience. Hojo quickly snapped out of whatever daze seeing his son once more had put him in.

"Move. We have a lot to speak about and only a little time to do it." Hojo's words were clean-cut, but Reeve didn't seem to get the picture.

"Sorry, whoever you are, but I'm just a bit preoccupied at the moment, and would appreciate you coming back later. So, if you _don't_ mind…" Reeve trailed off and went to shut the door, but Hojo wouldn't allow that and put his hand to the door.

"But I do mind, Reeve, and you're going to listen. My name is Hojo; I'm a professor down at the labs, but more importantly than that, I'm a Cetra." Reeve opened his mouth to interrupt Hojo. Hojo, however, wasn't about to let him do such a thing and put his hand up to silence the man before continuing. "A Cetra is a person with a strong connection to Mother Gaia. We are able to hear her voice in our minds and, in turn, do her bidding. No, I am not crazy, and yes, I did mean '_we'_. You, too, are a Cetra. The way you activate your connection to mother Gaia is by being touched by another Cetra, usually your parents. You, on the other hand, were never touched by either of your parents as your mother was murdered when the ShinRa raid took place and your father opted not to present you with the gift." This time, Hojo didn't get the chance to stop Reeve's disruption.

"And how would you know this, hm? It's quite an impossibility. Unless you're stalking me, but that's also not viable considering I would have noticed you by now. Besides, he didn't just decide not to touch me, he abandoned me. Ask my previous guardian and get your story straight before coming back, alri--" Reeve's irritated voice was cut off by Hojo's irritated voice. Two could play at that game.

"It's not an impossibility because I was there when your mother gave birth to you. I went to you often when you were an infant, but your previous guardian, aka Jon Kristoff, followed my instructions and didn't tell you of my visitations. The deal was that if I worked for ShinRa, they would spare both you and Aeris, your twin sister." By this time Reeve seemed to be in too much of a shock to argue. Hojo kept his tone urgent as he went on. "Aeris was taken to a church down in the slums while you were kept here. Now, you're wondering why, if you weren't taken as soon as you were born, we never touched you. The answer is simple. All of this happened a fortnight after you two were born. Your mother had already touched Aeris, but we figured that it would be best to wait for you. As for why I am truly here tonight: Mother Gaia is angry at me for cutting myself off from her for so long, but you…_you_; she's not angry with you. And that's why I'm sorry."

With those words said, Hojo pressed his hand forwards and it connected with Reeve's chest. Immediately, the younger man crumbled, and, somewhere, off in a house by a cliff, in the basement chained to a wall, teal eyes flickered to green. Hojo felt no sympathy for the young man on the ground, as he knew that it was not pain being felt, but pleasure. Intense, overwhelming, beautiful pleasure. It was not the bodily pleasure caused by sex and other such things, but a mental pleasure caused by being fully connected to Mother Gaia for the first time. The young blonde which had been quietly listening to their conversation the entire time had no such ideas though. Rufus rushed to Reeve's side, shaking him and calling out in a panicked voice.

"_Reeve_! Reeve, wake up! Come on, Honey, snap out of it… What did you do to him!?" Accusing azure eyes turned on Hojo, but chocolate brown wouldn't look back. Instead, they looked at the body on the floor which had finally gone still. Reeve was asleep now, but when he would awaken, he would tell Hojo where he could find Aeris, and all would be well. Hojo wouldn't receive that information until the sun would rise once more, at least four hours from that time.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_**Author's Note: **__Hi. Last chapter before the epilogue here, Children. Have fun. I know I will. Also, this chapter is dedicated to __**MeykoLove**__ for always being there to tell me exactly what he/she thinks of the story! I love knowing what's going on in my reader's heads… Here's to hoping that you'll all be there to read my next FFVII Sephiroth/Cloud story, "The Deal." Good luck!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Has it been mine for the last sixteen chapters? It hasn't? Oh, okay… I was just making sure… _

_**Warning:**__ Violence. Slash. Non-Slash. Language._

Sephiroth looked at the television with hard green eyes. Fury raged through his veins at the images. He was angry at Genesis for doing such a thing to Cloud, angry at Cloud for telling them to save Gaia-damned _Aeris_, and angry at himself for allowing Cloud to be taken in the first place. He wanted to know that Cloud was alright, to hold the blonde in his arms once more, and to kill something. Oh, how he wanted to kill something, preferably something named Genesis. The man would die for laying a hand on his beautiful little blonde. That much was for sure.

"Seph, how can he be so…" Zack trailed off, at a loss for words. Selfless; Sephiroth was sure that was the word that Zackary was going for. And though the General didn't know the answer to that; he didn't like it. Cloud had always been a bit too caring in Sephiroth's eyes, but that was going over the top. His life was at risk and he was asking them to save the Cetra, which Zackary would do, but Sephiroth would be going straight for Cloud. The General stood with a flourish before marching towards the door. There was no time to spare.

***************

Zack looked at the now blank TV only once more before rushing after his silver-haired superior. Knowing who had taken Aeris and Cloud chilled Zack to the core. He knew that Genesis had a bit of a temper, but to go to such extremes over… well, who knew what it was over? Also, considering that Angeal disappeared around the same time as Genesis, it meant that Zack's old instructor was in on it, too. The Lieutenant wasn't sure if he could handle fighting Angeal, but he tried not to worry about that as he followed Sephiroth's long strides. He wasn't sure exactly where they were headed, but he would find out soon. Zack just hoped that it would be soon enough.

***************

Reeve awoke to a yelling Rufus and a bored looking Hojo. Reeve knew from experience that his head was in Rufus's admittedly comfortable lap and could tell that they hadn't noticed his consciousness yet. He listened to their words around a peaceful, melodic murmur in the back of his mind.

"I don't _care_ if you're his father!" Rufus's shout was enough to make Reeve smile. The blonde never did know when to stop and listen. Hojo simply cocked a brow. "No! Don't you _dare_ look at me like that! You _cannot_ just waltz in here and act like you're the ruler of time! I swear if Reeve is hurt I'll- I'll- I'll do…_something_!" At that point in Rufus's rant, both father and son chuckled. Rufus gasped and looked down, connecting blue with brown. "Oh, thank Gaia you're awake. Are you alright? Did he do anything to you? I swear, if he did…" Reeve's eyes brightened just a little as he listened to the many questions and threats fired off by Rufus. With a smile, Reeve decided to put a stop to Rufus's little tirade, and leaned up, sealing Rufus's lips with his own. Immediately, the younger male melted into the kiss, and Reeve smirked before separating.

"What's she saying? Where is Aeris?" Hojo's halfway-impatient voice interrupted their moment, and Reeve turned his eyes to the professor.

"By '_she'_, I'm assuming you mean the voice in my head that wasn't present before , as Reeve knew he wouldn't.

"Now Reeve, you're going to have to give me a straight answer, or we'll be standing here all day, and I just don't have that kind of time." Almost immediately after Hojo's words were spoken, Rufus reentered the conversation.

"Okay, he's definitely your father. I've never heard anyone else use such an exasperating line." And true to Rufus's words, Reeve had never heard anyone but himself use the line either. He wasn't completely sure where he picked it up from, either… Brown eyes narrowed.

"You mean you really are my…" Reeve trailed off when Hojo rolled his eyes.

"Father, yes. We've already gone over this. Now, we can have a nice family moment as soon as I get back if you tell me where your sister is, and _hurry_. I'm not sure how much time we have left." Chocolate stared into chocolate for a moment after Hojo's speech before Reeve surprised even himself by conceding and closing his eyes, focusing on the voice. At first, it just sounded like a repetitive blur of words, saying everything and nothing at once, but it straightened out the more he concentrated. Over and over again, Reeve repeated Hojo's question in his mind, and eventually, he found what he knew to be the answer.

"_**Flowers. Cetra. Cliff. Grounds. Water. Cliff. Wood. Trees. Mine. Used. Wood. House. Cliff. Water. West. Mine. Cetra. Pain. Help. Cliff. Water. Help." **_Reeve's eyes snapped open, pulling himself away from the alluring, repetitive voice. He repeated what he understood the words to mean.

"Aeris is in a house somewhere to the west, on a cliff next to the water. She's in pain and needs help." That was all Reeve could get out before Hojo was up and out the door. Somehow, he knew that they would be seeing a lot more of Professor Hojo and, somehow, that didn't bother him at all.

***************

Jackary looked at Adrian, and Adrian looked back.

"You _can't_ be serious." Adrian whined to his taller counterpart, but Jack ignored him. By putting Adrian in charge, the General had basically put Jackary in charge. That was smart, considering that Jack knew that they would probably screw something up and was ready to put someone who knew what they were doing in his place. That led him to where they were now: outside of the Turk's headquarters. "Jack, they'll kill us." This time, midnight blue eyes focused on the other First Class SOLDIER before a single, black brow rose in question. Orange orbs rolled at the action before, "Alright, they'll kill _me_, but I'm kind of important, too, you know." Jack smirked lightly at Adrian's correction before ignoring the younger male once more and knocking on the large wooden double doors. Moments passed before it swung open to reveal the only two Turks that managed to pique Jack's interest: Tseng and Vincent Valentine.

"Greetings." Jackary's words were smooth, and while he got no response from Valentine; Tseng nodded. "The General's on an indefinite leave. You're not. As a Turk, it's your duty to ignore us and our problem of having no one in charge. As friends of General Sephiroth and Lieutenant Fair, it's your duty to fix it." The elder First's tone was colorless as he said this. Tseng held Jackary in a staring contest before stepping back in acceptance. Jack, knowing that he wasn't out of the woods just yet, simply raised his head a little higher in acknowledgement before stepping inside. He couldn't help but think how much more professional he would look without his orange-eyed lover trailing behind him like a lost child…

***************

Tired azure eyes opened slowly before focusing on the first thing they saw: brown hair. It was beautiful brown hair that had been mussed up beyond belief during a night of passionate honeymoon sex that had Cid grinning in remembrance. He wrapped a muscular arm around the thin waist beside of him, unintentionally waking her up. Honey brown eyes cracked open before tilting back to meet azure. A sleepy smile made its way to the young girl's face as she leaned back into his strong chest.

"Morning…" was her sleepy greeting.

"Mornin'." Cid's greeting was gruffer than hers as he leant down to kiss her. Her tongue met his eagerly and they danced for a moment before Yuffie spoke up.

"We should probably get going… You know, to tell them that war isn't necessary…" Yuffie trailed off uncertainly, and Cid thought about it seriously for a minute or two before deciding that the soft flesh beside of him sounded like more fun.

"Probably…" He muttered, moving down to kiss her neck. She giggled a bit at the sensation.

"Then come on. We've got to--" Her words turned into a sharp gasp as his innocent caresses took a lot more of a sexual turn. Neither of them tried to stop what was to come next. After all, they had all day, right?

***************

Emperor Kisaragi looked at the vast land before him, his deep blue robes flowing in the wind, accentuating the golden trim. Time seemed to slow as a helicopter got closer and closer to reaching the ground, setting a grim frown onto his face. In exactly fourteen hours, he would arrive at the ShinRa headquarters and, if Yuffie wasn't there and married, then he would declare war. Deep brown eye closed in resolution as he stepped onto the flying vehicle. It had to be done.

***************

Sephiroth looked at the house where he had first met Angeal and Genesis-which lay only a mile or two away from the ShinRa cliffs-for only a moment before striding inside. Smoky green connected with emerald and the General growled. _Reno_. Almost immediately, the red-head yelped and turned to run. Sephiroth had Masamune out and swinging towards Reno before a minute could pass, but his blow was intercepted by another sword. The other sword, however, was red.

"I see you got my message." Genesis had a grin to match the Cheshire cat's as he initiated the next attack. The auburn-haired man seemed to have forgotten just how much weaker he was than Sephiroth. Zack seemed to know the same thing as he shouted something about searching for Aeris before going off in his own direction. Swiftly, the General delivered one of his more powerful attacks; successfully sending his once-companion sprawling on the ground. Reno, who had moved behind Genesis, saw the battle for what it really was and fled to another room, presumably the one with Cloud in it. Genesis, back on his feet but with a bit of a limp, spotted that too and went after him. Sephiroth was quick to follow. When he entered the room, he saw Genesis with the blood-red blade of his sword against a dead-looking Cloud's neck. The sight had him frozen before he could think to breathe.

"Genesis, don't--" Sephiroth stopped short as he felt something pierce the skin of his side. Slowly, he reached down, pulling out a small dart. Emerald orbs darted over to the direction of where the dart had come from to see Reno, hands shaking with what looked to be a modified .45 magnum pointed right at Sephiroth. Suddenly, Sephiroth's vision went blurry and his balance was thrown off. Just before the General passed out completely he looked into dull blue eyes and swore. He had been so close, too…

************* **

Zack stumbled into a white room in his search for Aeris. While the figure he saw lying on the stark white bed wasn't his Cetra, it was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

"An-Angeal? _Angeal_!" Zack rushed over to the bedside as fast as he could before beginning to shake the older male. "Oh, _Gaia_! Angeal, what's wrong!? Please, wake up! Come on, Buddy, _please_!" The Lieutenant was in hysterics by the time he finished; his face buried in an unresponsive chest. Zack neither heard the footsteps coming up behind him nor sensed the object swinging towards the back of his head.

************* **

Angeal heard Zack's heartbroken voice shouting for him to wake up and tried his hardest to move. The shouts only lasted for a moment before disappearing, and the weight on his chest was removed. Still, Angeal tried to move something, _anything_. His pup was in trouble… And in a white, empty room, for the first time in years, his fingers twitched.

***************

Reno looked between where the General had fallen and where Genesis had thrown Cloud. He still hadn't moved from his spot by the wall. Slowly, he slid down into a sitting position. The red-head needed to do something, and _fast_.

***************

Yuffie looked at the Highwind from the inside for the first time in amazement. Everything about it was wonderful; from the leather interior to the way it smelled of smoke and cologne, of _Cid_. As if hearing her thoughts, said man lit up a cigar and took a long drag.

"I hope you're ready, Girlie, 'cause this is gonna be one long-ass fuckin' flight." At the gruff man's words, the young ninja grinned.

"Just try and keep up." And, over the roar of the engine, one could hear the boisterous laugh of Cid Highwind

***************

Vincent looked at the man in front of him, Jackary Salem, with caution. While Linkhouse reminded him lightly of Lieutenant Fair, Salem was leaning more towards Sephiroth, and that was enough to get anyone on edge. Yet, as he watched Tseng and Salem interact, he couldn't help but be amused. They were dancing around each other like the floor was cover in grenades, and, even more amusingly, the SOLDIER was winning. His logic of SOLDIERs needing a leader was winning out over Tseng not feeling like it. The hybrid almost smirked. At least it was entertaining.

***************

Tifa looked at Zack, who was chained to the wall a little ways away from Aeris. While she'd rather have his arms around her than pinned to a wall, there was no guarantee that he had broken free of Cloud's spell yet. She giggled. It would be fine; she had read up on this kind of thing. You either had to kill the caster or destroy the object that the spell was cast on. So, in the end, either Cloud or Aeris would have to die. Her giggle took a higher, less sane pitch as she thought of what Cloud had looked like by the time Genesis had gotten finished with him. Tifa didn't have it in her to end the suffering that he so righteously deserved, but she could certainly get rid of Aeris. Just as soon as Zack would wake up she would do it. Otherwise, how would he know what she was doing for him, for _them_? Her father would be proud…

She smiled kindly at the memory of her father always telling her to go for what she wanted. If he hadn't been such a hypocrite then maybe he'd still be alive… Tifa could remember him preaching about keeping families together just as easily as she could remember him tearing their little family apart by bringing all of those whores into their home. Perhaps, if he would have practiced what he preached, then she wouldn't have locked him in the cellar and lit the house on fire. Oh well, things had turned out better in the end, and they would get better still. Her hands fiddled with the gun excitedly. All she had to do now was wait for Zack to wake up…

************* **

Genesis watched startling green eyes open with a grin. His revenge – his carefully planned revenge – would finally play out. _Tonight_. Everything would happen tonight. Sephiroth sneered in his direction before struggling against his binds, but he resisted for only a moment before recognizing the material he was fighting against and stopping. Though it was hard to get, Genesis had found the same type of metal that the professors had used to hold them down for experiments before. There was no way that the binds would be broken.

"I see that you've decided to join the world of the living once more." The ginger man paused to take in the General's glare, which managed to make him shudder even with the younger male completely confined, before continuing. "Don't worry, you don't have to stay long; I'll make sure of that." And he would. Soon enough, he would. "You see, I've always a had a problem with degeneration, as I'm sure you know, but I've spent the past few years studying it. I've studied it closely; so close and for so long that it nearly drove me crazy, _but_ I found something." Genesis's grin got wider under his once-friend's watchful gaze, and he began to pace. "I found that the degeneration cells can only live in one being at a time, and, interestingly enough, it enjoys _jumping_. More specifically, it enjoys jumping through blood. There's one main cell that goes towards any open wound in my body, and if I touch someone else's open wound with my open wound--"

Green eyes widened just a fraction before going back to normal. Sephiroth had caught on. "That's right. I can transfer my… _illness_ into someone else. I've done it before, too. In mere seconds, my body goes back to being twenty-nine, and the person I've transferred it to takes on all of the years that my body has aged that it wasn't supposed to and then some. I've done it before, and could have just left that person to suffer through my fate, but why should they have to do that? They shouldn't. _You_, however, deserve to know what it feels like to go from thirty to sixty in all of two seconds. Do you know why?" Genesis paused, spinning to face the General, but said man had no expression on his face. Maybe he didn't remember, but Genesis certainly did.

_**Sunday, December Eighteenth, 3010, Near The Edge Of The ShinRa Cliffs:**_

_Genesis walked towards the cliffs, where Sephiroth, Angeal, and he were going to meet. He made sure to be early, well, earlier than usual because Sephiroth and Angeal – mainly Angeal – were always complaining about his tardiness. He, only ten minutes late, stopped dead in his tracks a few feet away from his friends, startled by the words coming from what he knew to be Angeal's mouth._

"_I'm not joking, Sephiroth. This has been going on for a while now." Angeal's voice was sad, pleading Sephiroth to understand. It was what had Genesis ducking behind a stone wall; curious about what they were saying. Whatever response was given was too quiet for even Genesis to hear, forcing him to peek around the corner; just in time to see Sephiroth finish the short shake of his head. A negative response, as per usual. Angeal reached forward, placing his hand on Sephiroth's bicep. It always perplexed Genesis how the silver male was the youngest of them all, but still larger and taller. "Why not? What's so wrong with the idea of us being together?" At those words, Genesis felt his heart come to an abrupt halt. Angeal liked Sephiroth? No, he had to have heard wrong. He was much closer to Angeal than Sephiroth could ever hope to be. So it stood to reason that the ebony-haired man would like __him__, right? He listened with baited breath, straining his ears to hear Sephiroth's response. Sadly, he could not._

"_Tell me then; what would it take for you to return my feelings?" Genesis cringed at Angeal's question. There was no way around it now. Though the younger male's reply was as inaudible as ever, he brushed Angeal's hand off of his arm, and that was enough of an answer for Genesis. Sephiroth had turned his unrequited love down._

"_But they __are__ real, Sephiroth! I know it. And I think that I might- I might just love you…" The response was immediate for both Sephiroth and Genesis. Sephiroth immediately placed both of his hands on Angeal's triceps before whispering something and walking away. Genesis immediately felt his heart shatter into a million pieces, despair washing over his very being. The man he loved was in love with someone else. As Sephiroth disappeared in another direction, the redhead's infamous anger flared to life, sending him marching towards a downcast Angeal._

"_How could you!?" Angeal looked up sharply at Genesis's broken shout. Grey eyes widened frantically and the slightly younger man went to wipe away his tears, but Genesis felt no sympathy. "I thought we had something – something special!" Genesis's voice rose two octaves, and he shoved Angeal roughly, not noticing how slick the ground beneath them was from the recent frost. Angeal, unprepared for the violent movement, stumbled back. _

"_Genesis, what are you--" Began Angeal, but he was swiftly interrupted by the redhead._

"_But as soon as I let down my shields, let you in, you ditch me for someone else. For Sephiroth!" Again, Angeal's eyes expanded in shock. Before the ebony-haired male could so much as open his mouth to defend himself, Genesis had delivered another harsh push, a push that had the shorter male stumbling over the edge, literally. Though Angeal tried to catch himself, the cold frost had slicked the ground to a nearly unimaginable degree, and any hopes of staying at the top of the cliff was lost. Angeal's body tumbled raggedly down the rocky cliff, catching a few times before coming to a stop a few hundred feet down. Genesis panicked; rushing down a rarely used path which he knew would take him to Angeal. Though the man was breathing, there were no other signs of life. What had just happened!? One minute, they had been talking, the next, Angeal was gone. How? Angeal had been right in front of him and… and… and jumped. Suddenly, it made sense. Angeal, so torn over Sephiroth's rejection, had jumped off of the cliff; tried to commit suicide. And it was all Sephiroth's fault. If the silver-haired male had just accepted Angeal, or simply let him down more gently, then none of that would have happened. Carefully picking up the still form of Angeal, Genesis silently began to do two things: carry his love back up the cliff and plotting his revenge._

_**Friday, December Twelfth, 3016, Inside The Third Room On The Left: **___

Genesis snapped out of his reverie with a growl, swiftly looking over Sephiroth once more. There was no way of telling what the General was thinking at the moment, and that killed Genesis. Quickly, his anger getting the best of him when no answer came, Genesis delivered a hard blow to Sephiroth's solar plexus. The silver-haired man didn't so much as flinch. The lack of reaction only managed to fuel his anger, and Genesis lifted Sephiroth as far as the binds would let him by the scruff of the General's shirt. "_I_ _asked you_ _a question_!"

But instead of the anger which he had spotted when Sephiroth had first awoken, Genesis saw the General's usual blank mask. And then, as if to spite Genesis, the silver-haired man looked away, searching for something behind him. First, the action had his temper skyrocketing, then, Genesis realized just what the younger male was looking for. A grim smile made its way to Genesis's face.

"Looking for the blonde?" This seemed to be the correct question as emerald orbs darted to Genesis. "There's no need to do such a thing. The little red head's had his eyes on the boy for quite a while now. There's no doubt in my mind that their very… _busy_ at the moment. I might bring him to see your body once it's all done though, if you insist…" Genesis smiled as the desired effect of his words was achieved, and Sephiroth growled at him angrily.

****************

Sephiroth felt all of his control slip at the mention of that _boy_ touching, _fucking_, his Cloud. Rage swirled inside of him like the fiercest hurricane. The General narrowed his eyes dangerously. He knew that Genesis would only feed off of the reaction, but he couldn't help it; Cloud was _his_. As expected, Genesis smirked. "Does it make you angry to know that your blonde is off fucking someone else?" Again, Sephiroth's anger flared. "Or perhaps he's not. Maybe they haven't done a thing? You'll never know." Suddenly, Sephiroth was calm again. Well, not _calm_, per say, but he was no longer furious. There was a simple reason for this quick change. While Genesis was a brilliant actor; he had problems with keeping the truth out of his lies. No one had touched Cloud. It was a large relief, but it barely held a flame to the fact that Reno could be fixing that at that very moment. Genesis, seeing that Sephiroth had gotten his temper under control, frowned once more.

"Fine. You don't want to play games, we won't. Let's get this party started." And with those curt, angry words, Genesis sliced his hand.

************** **

Angeal, for the first time in he wasn't sure how long, opened his eyes and _saw_. The sudden blast of color nearly blinded him once more, but, thankfully, didn't. Though his muscles were weaker than he could ever remember them being from not moving in so long, he immediately tried to stand. Something was wrong, and he had to stop it. With only determination fueling his steps, Angeal stumbled through the house, throwing open every door that he found. Two rooms and a closet later, he stumbled upon what he was sure would classify as his worst nightmare. Sephiroth's wrists and ankles were shackled and chained to a spot on the floor so that he couldn't move with a deep cut across his face. That wouldn't be so horrid if it weren't for the blood dripping from Genesis's hand as well. He had been listening throughout the years; knew what would happen if Genesis's wound touched Sephiroth's, and rushed forward.

Slitting his palm on a passing piece of metal from the broken down room which Genesis most likely kept wrecked for that very occasion, Angeal latched his hand onto the red-head's. The effect was immediate. Pain rushed through Angeal as he felt his body taking on an immediate fifty years and then it was replaced with pleasure; he gained the years back. It was a startlingly quick cycle that Angeal refused to stop. It had to be done. Genesis tried to pull back, but Angeal's grip tightened.

"Angeal! What are you- _Why_ are you--" Genesis searched for an answer, still trying frantically to get free, but Angeal wasn't about to let that happen, and cut into the older male's quick questions, watching the constantly changing face all the while.

"This is wrong, Genesis! _You're_ wrong! Sephiroth doesn't deserve to die, _you_ do, and I'm here to make sure that happens!" Angeal's raspy word got quicker along with their degeneration and regeneration swirling between them.

"No! Angeal, stop it! This is Sephiroth's fault! He--" Genesis began speaking quickly, but as the process became more rapid, he slowed down.

"He did _nothing_. Now, you wanted to live with me, but we both know that won't work, so die with me instead." And with those last words, Angeal felt his breath slip away from him. He would die, to right wrongs and give Sephiroth the life that he deserved; he would die. And so he did. The light faded from his eyes at the same moment that it faded from Genesis's, and Angeal died. He died happily, looking into the eyes of what would never be his and knowing that his silver-haired friend would go on. That was enough for him, as it had always been.

************** **

Zack awoke slowly, his head pounding to a violent beat. The first thing he spotted had him forgetting all of the pain.

"_Aeris_! Oh, thank Gaia!" The relief of seeing her breathing was enough to make him want to cry. Instinctively, he reached forward to comfort her, but found his arms restrained. Swiftly, he began to struggle, yet… He couldn't break free of the constricting metal. Hurriedly, he looked over at his fiancée, assessing her wounds. While there were many, they weren't dire.

"Z-Zack?" Tears welled up in…_green_ eyes? The last he remembered, Aeris's eyes were teal. Zack had no time to ponder that as Aeris choked out a sob. "Zack, you have to get out of here!" Whatever Aeris was going to say next was cut off by another voice; a voice that Zack knew all too well.

"Hello, Zackie! I see that you're finally awake. Don't worry, I waited for you." Her voice was as sweet as molasses and Zack hated it. When he looked over at the woman, his hatred burned anew with fear as his fuel. In her hands lay a gun that Zack was too discombobulated to identify, and it was pointed at Aeris. "I waited so that you would be able to see me kill her; to feel your heart being freed from that half-Incubus's spell. And now you're awake." She finished her speech by standing up and taking a step closer to Aeris. Violet eyes widened. Not Aeris. Anyone but Aeris. Knowing what was about to happen; knowing that there was nothing that he could do to stop it; Zack did the only thing he could. He closed his eyes to prevent himself from seeing his beloved die mere feet away.

Zack's sensitive ears rang when he heard the distinctive sounds of a gun releasing its seed of destruction onto the world and a very feminine scream. The firearm rang out too many times for Zack to count – or perhaps he just didn't want to know how many bullets were being shot into his darling Cetra – and his skin tingled unpleasantly as he felt a warm, thick liquid splash onto his face and clothes. Time seemed to go in slow motion as Zack felt a hot fluid run down his face. He wasn't sure whether it was Aeris's blood or his own tears. He wasn't sure there was a difference. What did it matter if there was? His other half was gone, gone to a world where he now wanted to be. No, it was where he now needed to be. Was a life without Aeris worth living? He didn't think so. Tan lids closed more tightly over violet orbs. He didn't want to see her blood; be reminded of the woman he couldn't save. Losing her was like losing the sun, and nothing could survive without the sun.

****************

Hojo surveyed the bloody scene with calm brown eyes. Red decorated the room with inconsistent dots. The most blood, however, was on the floor, pooling around pretty brown hair and an awkwardly twisted female body. The red made a stark contrast to the dark room, reflecting what little light was in the room and illuminating everything.

"Y-you…" A surprised whisper escaped scared lips and the scientist looked up from the bullet-riddled body of Tifa, whom he'd shot just before she could do the same to Aeris, into the eyes of his daughter. They were a sparkling green, just like that of her mother. If he had needed any more proof that Reeve had been connected with Gaia; that was it. As twins, the two could never achieve their full potential without the other. Violet eyes snapped open, honing first on the large-chested girl's body, then on Hojo's darling daughter, and finally on Hojo himself. The Lieutenant sputtered, trying to find the right words, while Hojo calmly walked over to the dead girl; searching for the keys to unlocking their shackles. When he found them, he headed straight for Aeris. Immediately, the black-tinted-blue-haired man protested.

"Stay away from her, Hojo! Do you hear me!? If you hurt her, I swear, I'll--" The younger man's brash rambling threats were interrupted by Aeris's soft, tired voice as Hojo unlocked her bindings.

"It's alright. He's… You're the man from the church." Aeris's words came out as a statement, but he was sure that it was a question.

"Yes, and a lot more, but we'll have time to talk later, alright?" Aeris gave a weak nod to answer Hojo's inquisition before falling limp into his arms; asleep. Gently, he laid her down. After making sure that she was situated, he walked over and crouched in front of Zack. Locking brown orbs with violet, Hojo finally spoke to Zack.

"If you so much as _think_ about hurting my daughter, I'll kill you." The warning was evident, and after purple orbs darted between Hojo and Aeris a few times, realization seemed to dawn. Zack stared ahead silently while Hojo released him, and, while the good doctor was finishing up, he finally spoke.

"You've got a Hell of a lot of explaining to do." There was no judgment in the man's voice, and for that, Hojo was thankful.

"I'll clear everything up, I promise, but _after_ we save your friend." Zack nodded at Hojo's words before standing up and walking over to Aeris. Hojo watched silently as the SOLDIER tenderly picked up his daughter, giving her a loving smile before heading for the steps. Just as silently, the good doctor followed.

****************

Reno finally looked up from his spot on the floor. He didn't care how powerful Genesis was; there was no way that he could beat the General. With that in mind, he quickly went over to Cloud's lifeless form and picked him up. No matter how light Cloud was, dead weight was dead weight, and Reno struggled with him. After about a minute, he was able to lift the blonde from the ground and place one of the limp hands over his shoulders. Half-carrying, half-dragging his young almost lover to the door, Reno began to hurry. Who knew how long he would have before the General rid himself of Genesis? With that in mind, he quickened his pace, all but stumbling towards the ShinRa cliffs.

****************

Cid snarled at the bastard who refused to let them so much as enter the ShinRa building.

"Were you not fuckin' listening to a damn thing I just said!? We _need _to get up there or a Gaia-damned _war_ is gonna break out!" Yet, no matter what Cid said, the man wasn't budging. He had half a mind to go back to the Highwind, get his spear, and force his way in, but something in the back of his mind told him that it wouldn't work out too well.

"I'm sorry, but without an appointment, I'm afraid you're just going to have to wait." His tone was polite with a threatening edge. Who the _fuck_ did this guy think he was!? _No one_ threatened Cid Highwind! Just as Cid was about to tell the man _exactly_ what he thought of "making an appointment," two slim arms wrapped themselves around his left bicep.

"I'm so sorry about him. We'll go call in, alright?" Without waiting for a response, Yuffie dragged a cursing Cid away from the man and behind an empty trash bin. "We don't have time to argue with him, Cid. We've got to get in there _now_." Her voice was urgent, and Cid, still in a bad mood, sneered at her.

****************

"And how are we supposed to pull that shit off, huh? We're totally fuckin' screwed if we can't get past that bitch. If ya haven't noticed, Girlie, he's blockin' off the only door." At Cid's biting words, Yuffie grinned. She hadn't spent the past twelve years of her life training with the Wutai ninjas for nothing. Immediately, she set to work teaching Cid what may possibly be the most important lesson of his life: how to scale walls. It took him only a few minutes for Cid to catch on, and they were climbing in no time. They made it all the way to the twenty-seventh floor before being spotted and forced to flee to the inside of the building. Yuffie growled, keeping her breath even so that she wouldn't tire out. They still had thirty-three more floors to go, and battles to fight on the way there. She could only hope that the General wasn't in.

They made it all the way to the fifty-ninth floor before being cut off by two SOLDIERs and two Turks. The tallest of them, a Turk with brown hair, questioned them first.

"Is there any particular reason you decided to break into the ShinRa headquarters?" His voice had a bored tone to it, and the man had a lazy air about him, but Yuffie wasn't fooled. He was dangerous.

"To fuckin' stop a damned war! Why can't anybody just fuckin' _listen_ for once!? Gaia damn it!" Cid's outburst almost brought a smile to her face, but she knew that they weren't out of the woods just yet. With the way things were looking, she wasn't sure if they ever would be.

****************

"Am I to understand that my daughter has not yet been found?" The Emperor's tone showed none of the exhaustion that he felt. It was not the ShinRa heir who answered him, but a man standing beside of him.

"That is correct." The young man's tone was hard, but failed to hide everything. Whatever was happening to Yuffie at the moment wasn't good. His daughter would never let a war take place over her. In his mind, he knew that it was wrong to begin a war over something that they had no control over, but it had to be done. Emperor Kisaragi would find his daughter even if he had to tear apart an entire country to do it.

****************

Rufus jumped when he heard the door behind him slam open. He spun on the spot to see the cause of the disturbance and found a panting but determined Yuffie Kisaragi along with another man that he would recognize even after years of not seeing him.

"Oh, Gaia, Father told me that you had died! Where have you been all of this time!? Why didn't you call!?" Rufus's words were rushed and excited, as he gripped his elder brother. He didn't know how Cid was still alive, but he was, and that was all that mattered. As soon as his questions were finished, he noticed that the princess was no longer beside of them.

"Father! I'm sorry that I ran away, but I had to! Just like you have to stop this war!" Her words were cut off by the Emperor's stern voice.

"Yuffie, the contract has been made. You _must _marry--" This time, it was the daughter who interrupted, and Rufus finally let go of his brother to look at the scene going on behind them.

"A ShinRa male. And I did." Swiftly, she held up herleft hand; showing off a beautiful diamond ring. Instantly, the old ruler's eyes darted over to Cid and then down to his left hand, which also had a ring. The man was as speechless as Rufus. Immediately, Rufus realized what that meant for him. Azure eyes darted towards chocolate brown, and Reeve nodded. He no longer had to be wedded to Yuffie. Reeve and he could… The thought made him want to start crying. Rufus hugged Cid harder. Reeve was right; everything turned out fine in the end. In the midst of his happiness, he missed the fact that it had begun to rain.

****************

Tseng held back a smirk. He had a feeling that she was the real deal, and he had been in no mood to deal with a war, so letting them past had been no weight on his conscience. Slowly, he laid down his royal flush, listening to Linkhouse groan and throw down his cards down before digging out his wallet with a mental grin. They had been playing all day from the warm depths of Sephiroth's office. Usually, when a game took place in the General's office, the General was playing, and Tseng always lost when that happened. So he would enjoy his winning streak in his place of infinite losses with pleasure while he could. Swiftly, Vincent dealt them all another hand, preferring to watch rather than play. They ignored the pounding rain outside, opting to concentrate on the game. After all, it was just a storm.

****************

Sephiroth didn't ask questions when he saw Hojo walk in with Aeris and Zack. He didn't panic or sneer or even really register that it was _Hojo_ who had walked in. Now wasn't the time for such things. If Zackary trusted the man, even if just for this short period of time, then he did too. As quickly as Hojo could unlock him, Sephiroth was up and out the door. Something told him that Cloud was out there; out there in the freezing rain with the obsessed redhead. The General barely noticed when Zack handed the Cetra to Hojo and told him to get her to a doctor. He just kept running. Soon enough, Zack was beside of him, running as fast as he could to keep up with the General. They didn't speak; they didn't need to. Minutes passed endlessly, threading through the General's mind at a non-stop rate. What if he was too late? Cold water droplets pounded onto his skin, telling him to slow down, but he refused. The ground became slick beneath his feet, destroying his sense of balance.

After what seemed like – and for all Sephiroth knew could have been – forever, he spotted Reno, dragging Cloud towards the ShinRa cliffs. He ran faster. Zackary was left behind in his rush to get to Cloud. The redhead didn't even see him coming. A swift punch was delivered to Reno, sending both him and Cloud, who he refused to let go of, sprawling closer to the edge. The rain pounded so hard that Sephiroth, even with his mako-enhancements couldn't see two feet in front of him. It pounded against his skin harshly, and the General wasn't sure whether he was hearing the water going wild beneath them or the wind trying to defy gravity and rip the very trees from the ground where they sat. Reno stumbled away, closer and closer to the edge; to the roaring waters beneath him. Sephiroth saw the fear in his smoky green eyes, and relished it. Without a second thought, he unsheathed Masamune. Reno would die for touching what was his. With a feral growl escaping his lips, the General swung. It was a fierce blow that cracked the earth which it struck.

Surely, it would have killed Reno had it hit him, but it hadn't. No, the Cadet had scrambled backwards, at the last possible moment, pushing himself into Cloud. Cloud, whose lifeless form had been lying uselessly behind Reno, was sent tumbling over the edge of the ShinRa Cliffs and into the ruthless waters raging below. Sephiroth didn't have time to think. He dropped Masamune and dived; dived hundreds of feet down into the uncaring waters of an enraged ocean. Losing Cloud was not an option. Not again.

Sephiroth felt the waters pushing him harshly around, but he forced his way through. He couldn't find Cloud. Feeling his breath running out, Sephiroth pressed towards the surface. He would get oxygen and then keep looking. And unexpected wave crashed violently into him, pushing him deeper into the cold, dark waters and knocking what little air he had left out of him. Water instantly tried to take its place. He choked in a gasp, gagging as the water rushed down his throat and into his lungs. It never stopped pushing against him, throwing him around in the waters so cold that Sephiroth wasn't sure if his limbs were really even there. As Cloud flashed through his mind, the General fought harder to reach the surface. It was a futile attempt as the cold fury of the storm made the dark waters rage on, pushing him farther and farther into the black abyss of the water. He was pushed so far down that the storm fury could no longer reach him; the waters calm, but even colder than before. It didn't matter. Sephiroth wasn't struggling anymore. And so his body sank downwards; oblivious to the dark nothingness of the world around him.

****************

Zack had watched the scene play out in front of him with unmasked horror; knowing that any help he had to offer would only get in the way. Slowly, he bent over to pick up Masamune. No hesitation was made as the Lieutenant finished what his superior had started and sent the overly large sword through Reno. He did that only once as once was all it took. Reno's heart gave out immediately after being hit, and though Zack was tempted to kick it over the edge, he decided against it. The body wasn't his to dispose of. Violet eyes looked through the haze of rain for only a moment before turning around. Sephiroth wouldn't want someone to look for him, so Zack wouldn't look. Instead, he would go back to the house, retrieve what he was sure was Angeal's body, and head back to Midgar.

****************

Sephiroth opened his eyes but saw nothing. It was a cold blackness that surrounded him; the kind of chilling dark that could only be found at the bottom of the ocean, where the sun never ventured far enough to reach. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. All thoughts vanished as he saw Cloud, floating in the same dark abyss, his hair shining dully through the gloom. Sephiroth swiftly began to swim towards him, but was forced to stop mere feet away; forced to stop by a beautiful woman suddenly crouching behind Cloud. Her eyes were no color and every color at once – like the sun – and they were glaring fiercely at the General while she gathered his blonde up in her arms. Without delay, Sephiroth reached for Masamune, but his hand grasped at empty water. Faintly, he wondered why he didn't need to breath, but passed it off as the woman/creature's doing.

He opened his mouth to shout at her, plead with her, say _something_, but no words came out. He couldn't speak. It appeared he didn't need to as the majestic being separating Cloud from him spoke out loud and clear into his mind.

_**"Mine. ULTIMATE. Mine. Back to Lifestream. Time. ULTIMATE." **_Sephiroth knew from Cloud's description of her voice and peculiarities that this was the embodied form of Gaia, herself. He glared right into her otherworldly eyes. She wanted to take Cloud back to the Lifestream; away from him. She wanted to kill Cloud. But she was wrong. Cloud was _his_. It became apparent that though he couldn't talk, she could hear him.

_**"Mine! Time. Mine. Back to Lifestream. Time. Back to Lifestream." **_It seemed that she wasn't happy with Sephiroth claiming that Cloud belonged to him and not her, and he growled before trying to take a step closer. Suddenly, she was right in front of him, forcing him to stare endlessly into her eyes; eyes that held the souls of the lost. They were burning flames of agony and pleasure that had Sephiroth tearing himself apart. Still, she got closer, testing his strengths and weaknesses, forcing herself into his soul. Faintly, he felt soft flesh touch his own. It was deathly cold, breaking Sephiroth free of her spell; away from her. Without realizing he was doing so, Sephiroth made a grab for Cloud. Cloud, who had felt frozen to the General even in the coldest crevices of the ocean. His strong arms closed around nothing, and she was gone once more; backed away to make sure that he couldn't steal Cloud from her. Swiftly, he was brought to a startling realization. He couldn't beat her. If she wanted Cloud then there was nothing he could do about it. Cold chills curled around his heart at the thought of spending the rest of his days without the sweet blonde. If she was going to take Cloud; she would have to take Sephiroth as well.

_**"Not time. Silver Threat. Not time. Stay. Silver Threat. Stay. Not time." **_Her words froze Sephiroth. She wouldn't take him. Gaia was going to leave him to suffer the world alone because it _wasn't his time_. That failed to make sense in Sephiroth's mind. How could it possibly not be time to take his life? _Cloud_ was his life. If she killed Cloud, then she would be killing him. He would fall apart without Cloud, and Cloud would fall apart without him. They were one. Green eyes looked up, meeting the endless pools of colorless color from what could either have been inches or worlds away. They stared at him, assessing him.

_**"One life." **_That was all she said. It was all she needed to say. Slowly, she released Cloud, allowing him to float over to Sephiroth. The time it took for the blonde to reach the General felt like an eternity, but he didn't dare move, just in case she decided to take him back. As soon as their skin touched, he felt Cloud's lack of pulse; knew that the blonde was dead; knew that the life force no longer resided in his blonde. Somehow though, he also knew that the sould had not yet been taken. That's what Gaia had been there for. She wanted to personally pick up the soul of her ULTIMATE. The General wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. Abruptly, Sephiroth felt his own life force being ripped from his very being before something twisted, tangled, and tied it around both Cloud and him; slowly bringing the blonde back to life. They would share the same life span. When Cloud would die, Sephiroth would die as well, and the General was fine with that because Cloud was his life. He always had been, even if neither of them had known it.

Before he could blink, the waves swallowed him up once more, but this time, he wasn't alone. Sephiroth's hands gripped tightly at Cloud, trying desperately to keep the blonde with him against the wishes of the waters. And then they were on the shore. The deep, dark, freezing waters had tossed them ashore, allowing Sephiroth to feel the warm sand beneath him and, more importantly, the warm body in his arms. Cloud's chest rose and fell gently, bringing a smile to the General's face. The rain that had fallen so harshly before was now nothing more than a warm, light drizzle. Sephiroth took his time picking up Cloud, making sure that the blonde's body – which held none of the fresh wounds or bruises that it had before falling into the water – was completely comfortable before beginning the long trek back to Midgar. They had time to spare.

****************

Violet eyes widened as Sephiroth walked into the infirmary dripping wet and cradling Cloud like the world's most precious jewel. Sephiroth looked up from his blonde and Zack withheld a gasp. For the first time ever, Sephiroth's emerald eyes were completely open. They held nothing but care for Cloud, and though the Lieutenant was sure that the walls would be back up by tomorrow; they were down now. Slowly, as the General situated Cloud on the bed next to Aeris's, Zack greeted him.

"Hey." Zack's words were soft, and Sephiroth looked up from his blonde once more. They could do nothing but stare at each other for a moment before Sephiroth nodded, a small smile coming to his face. Zack grinned. Everything would be fine.

****************

_**Two Weeks Later:**_

Aeris walked down the aisle with a happy smile on her face. She quietly leaned into her father, overjoyed at actually having a father. Though she still wasn't sure how she had managed to land such a good guy, she wasn't complaining. With a kiss to her cheek, Hojo separated from her. The priest began reading, but Aeris wasn't listening, too lost in the pools of violet to do anything but stare lovingly. There were only two words which she did hear, and they came from Zack's mouth.

"_I do_." His grin was blinding, and when the preacher paused for a second time, she took it as her cue to respond.

"I do." With that said, Zack snatched her around waist before pulling her in for a kiss. She couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding if she tried.

****************

Rufus looked at the newlyweds with longing blue eyes.

"We're going to do that soon, too, right?" He turned his head to face Reeve, who was looking thoughtfully at the Lieutenant. Reeve didn't answer. "Hey, we're getting married soon, aren't we?" Rufus pushed Reeve slightly when no response was put forth. Chocolate brown eyes looked down into azure, and, finally, Reeve replied.

"If we haven't tied the knot by next month, you can kill me." His voice held a bored seriousness that had Rufus smiling and leaning back into his chest.

"I'll keep that in mind."Rufus's retort was met with a kiss.

****************

Cid looked around the small wedding with a frown. They had stayed for the past two weeks so that he could catch up with his brother, and also because of a crious blonde that had told them quite a story. It was the Lieutenant himself that had invited the pilot and his little princess after hearing that they had been friends with Cloud in a past life. He guessed that he liked the man, but not as much as the blonde. Still, that wasn't what was bothering him. As they walked to the dinner tables, Cid bent down slightly and asked Yuffie a serious question.

"You don't mind not havin' a wedding like this, right?" Cid hoped to Gaia that she didn't mind. He didn't have anything to offer but his heart and that killed him. She looked at him incredulously.

"You're fucking kidding me, right? Of course I don't mind! In fact, if I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing!" Her voice matched her eyes in their honest intensity, and Cid's grin was back at full force. Silently, he thanked Gaia.

****************

Vincent seated himself quietly, glancing over at his lover when Tseng put forth an inquisition.

"You don't want to get married, do you?" Tseng's voice was as blank as his face and Vincent made sure that he mirrored that.

"Not in a million years." His response was enough to make Tseng glance over at him, locking their eyes. Silently, they shared a small, sincere smile. They didn't need a priest to tell them what they had together was real.

****************

Sephiroth stood quietly, tapping his spoon against his wine glass to get everyone's attention. Of course, that was hardly needed. His tall, 6'3 frame and overpowering air had everyone turned his way before he had finished standing up. The fact that he was wearing a form-fitting black tuxedo helped as well. He had practiced this a thousand times, and discussed it with Zackary to make sure that it was alright. His Second-in-Command had agreed wholeheartedly. Once Sephiroth was sure all eyes were on him, he began to speak.

"Now, we all know that this is Zackary's evening, but I find it much too stressful to spend an entire day concentrating solely on Zackary, so I'm going to cut that short." He turned to face Cloud, who was dawned in a white tux on Sephiroth's request. The General had nearly taken Cloud in the pews when he first saw the white on the blonde. Blue eyes gazed up at him curiously, and Sephiroth motioned for him to stand. He did.

"A few weeks ago, you asked me why, if I hated you in a past life, how I could possibly love you now. I didn't have an answer back then. I do now. I love you because of your presence. Because every time you walk into the same room as me, my day brightens. And I hated you because of your presence. Because every time you walked out of the room my day would tumble down hill, and I couldn't figure out why. I love you because every moment that I see you, you're all I can think about. I hated you because every moment that I couldn't see you, you were all I could think about. I love you because of your eyes. Because that's where the sun rises and sets. And I hated you because of your eyes. Because I knew that the sun would never rise and set for me and only me. I love you because of your hands and how they can do anything and everything that everyone else can and can't do. And I hated your hands because they just looked wrong to me. They still do."

With graceful ease, Sephiroth slid onto one knee and took a small velvet box out of his pocket. Cloud gasped.

"Cloud Strife, would you mind making me the happiest man in the world?" And he opened the box to reveal a gold band with two diamonds on the farthest edge, two emeralds nearer to the middle, and one sapphire decorating the center of the ring, topping it off beautifully. The General didn't have time to blink before receiving an armful of Cloud.

"_Yes_! Yes, _of course_ I will! When!?" Cloud's grip on Sephiroth loosened so that he could pull back and look straight at the older man. Sephiroth smiled.

"That depends." He said offhandedly, waiting for Cloud to take the bait. Hios blonde didn't disappoint.

"Depends on what?" Cloud's soft voice was like music to the General's ears, and Sephiroth looked right into those beautiful sapphires that Cloud called eyes before responding.

"_Is the priest still here_?" The priest was, indeed, still there.

_**The End**_


End file.
